RCW 85

RCW 85

RCW 85
Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh

Explanation: From the 1960 astronomical catalog of Rodgers, Campbell and Whiteoak, emission region RCW 85 shines in southern night skies between bright stars Alpha and Beta Centauri. About 5,000 light years distant, the hazy interstellar cloud of glowing hydrogen gas and dust is faint. But detailed structures along well-defined rims within RCW 85 are traced in this cosmic skyscape composed of 28 hours of narrow and broadband exposures. Suggestive of dramatic shapes in other stellar nurseries where natal clouds of gas and dust are sculpted by energetic winds and radiation from newborn stars, the tantalizing nebula has been called the Devil’s Tower. This telescopic frame would span around 100 light-years at the estimated distance of RCW 85.

Tomorrow’s picture: light-weekend

RCW 85
影像提供与版权: Martin Pugh

说明: 因罗杰斯、肯博和懹欧克（RCW）于1960年所编录的星表而得名的发射区RCW 85，在南天夜空的明亮南门二及马腹一之间绽放光芒。这团大约5,000光年远，而且有些模糊的氢与尘埃星际云，相当昏暗。然而，在这幅由总曝光时间28小时的窄与宽波段照片所组合出的影像里，却可看到RCW 85里轮廓明确边缘的细微结构。类似其他的恒星形成区，孕育恒星的气体和尘埃云，经常受到新诞生恒星的强烈恒星风和辐射之雕塑，而带着各种具有暗示性的形状，这团迷人的星云拥有“魔鬼塔”的称号。以RCW 85的估计距离来换算，这片望远镜视野的跨幅约有100光年。

明日的图片: light-weekend