暗饰带星云

暗饰带星云

The Dark Doodad Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh & Rocco Sung

Explanation: What is that strange brown ribbon on the sky? When observing the star cluster NGC 4372, observers frequently take note of an unusual dark streak nearby running about three degrees in length. The streak, actually a long molecular cloud, has become known as the Dark Doodad Nebula. (Doodad is slang for a thingy or a whatchamacallit.) Pictured here, the Dark Doodad Nebula sweeps across the center of a rich and colorful starfield. Its dark color comes from a high concentration of interstellar dust that preferentially scatters visible light. The globular star cluster NGC 4372 is visible as the fuzzy white spot on the far left, while the bright blue star gamma Muscae is seen to the cluster’s upper right. The Dark Doodad Nebula can be found with strong binoculars toward the southern constellation of the Fly (Musca).

Tomorrow’s picture: sky show

暗饰带星云
影像提供与版权: Martin Pugh & Rocco Sung

说明: 天空中那怪异的棕色带状物是什么？在观测星团NGC 4372时，观测者常会注意到附近有一条绵延约3度的不寻常暗带。这条暗带，其实是有暗饰带星云之称的颀长分子云。而这张照片所呈现的暗饰带星云，横亘在一片多彩的富星场中央。这团星云的暗沉色泽，来自于能轻易散射可见光的高密度星际尘埃。照片左侧的模糊的泛白光斑就是球状星团NGC 4372，而星团右上方的泛蓝亮星则是苍蝇座γ。使用高倍率的双筒望远镜，可以在南天的苍蝇 座方向找到暗饰带星云。 （Dark Doodad Nebula 暗饰带星云； “Doodad” 不知名的东西、那个什么东西.）

明日的图片: sky show