2025年6月26日
The Seagull Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: Timothy Martin
Explanation: An interstellar expanse of glowing gas and obscuring dust presents a bird-like visage to astronomers from planet Earth, suggesting its popular moniker, the Seagull Nebula. This broadband portrait of the cosmic bird covers a 3.5-degree wide swath across the plane of the Milky Way, in the direction of Sirius, alpha star of the constellation of the Big Dog (Canis Major). The bright head of the Seagull Nebula is cataloged as IC 2177, a compact, dusty emission and reflection nebula with embedded massive star HD 53367. The larger emission region, encompassing objects with other catalog designations, is Likely part of an extensive shell structure swept up by successive supernova explosions. The notable bluish arc below and right of center is a bow shock from runaway star FN Canis Majoris. Dominated by the reddish glow of atomic hydrogen, this complex of interstellar gas and dust clouds with other stars of the Canis Majoris OB1 association spans over 200 light-years at the Seagull Nebula’s estimated 3,800 light-year distance.
Tomorrow’s picture: angles in space
海鸥星云
影像提供与版权: Timothy Martin
说明: 在这片视野里，有一团发光气体与尘埃云，对地球上的天文学家来说形似鸟脸，因此为它博得海鸥星云的昵称。这幅内有宇宙巨鸟的宽波段影像，涵盖了大犬座最亮星 天狼方向、分跨在银河系盘面二侧的3.5度天区。海鸥星云明亮的鸟头之编录号为NGC 2327，而这团紧凑的尘埃发射与反射星云，内部则藏着大质量恒星HD 53367。海鸥星云及视野内拥有其他录编号之星云所集结成的大发射星云，可能是接连发生的数次超新星爆炸的震波，所扫集出的大壳层结构的一部分。此外，视野中右方的鲜明蓝色光弧，是速逃星大犬FN（FN Canis Majoris）所产生的弓形震波前沿。这片以散发泛红辉光的原子氢气为主体、交织着尘埃云、及大犬OB1星协年轻亮星的复合天体，如果以用3,800光年的估计距离来换算，其跨幅超过200光年。
明日的图片: pixels in space
