M78 is the brightest diffuse nebula in the sky. The interstellar dust shines blue from the reflected light of early B-type supergiant stars (an open star cluster) located in the center of the molecular cloud. 192 young stars have been catalogues and found to be “born” from the condensation of the nebulous matter.
Studies have also found Harbig-Haro objects in this region: young stars ejecting matter and producing jets of hot gas which ionize the adjacent gas cloud, and create a small red glowing cloud.
February 20, 2009 10:30 PM
05 : 46.7 (h:m)
+00 : 03 (deg:m)
1.6 (kly)
8 (mag)
8 x 6 (arc min)
14,399 (Suns)
Pentax 125 SDP
Takahashi EM-200 Jr
SXVF-M25C
27N - Davie, Florida
AstroPix, PHD
Photoshop CS3
120 min. Total - 6 minutes subs
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