2026年2月14日
Roses are Red
Image Credit & Copyright: Raffaele Calcagno
Text: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II)
Explanation: Roses are red, nebulas are too, and this Valentine’s gift is a stunning view! Pictured is a loving look at the Rosette Nebula (NGC 2237): a cosmic bloom of bright young stars sitting atop a stem of glowing hot gas. The rose’s blue-white speckles are among the most luminous stars in the galaxy, with some burning millions of times brighter than the Sun. Their stellar winds sculpt the famed rose shape by pushing gas and dust away from the center. Though only a few million years old, these massive stars are already nearing the end of their lives, while dimmer stars embedded in the nebula will burn for billions of years to come. The vibrant red hue comes from hydrogen gas, ionized by the ultraviolet light from the young stars. The rose’s blue-white center is color-mapped to indicate the presence of similarly ionized oxygen. The Rosette Nebula reminds us of the beauty and transformation woven into the fabric of the universe.
Tomorrow’s picture: flying free
玫瑰嫣红
影像提供与版权: Raffaele Calcagno
文稿: Keighley Rockcliffe (NASA GSFC, UMBC CSST, CRESST II)
说明: 玫瑰嫣红，星云亦然，这份情人节的礼物，是一幅令人惊艳的宇宙美景！画面呈现是对玫瑰星云（NGC 2237）的深情凝视：一朵由年轻恒星构成的宇宙花簇，绽放在一条炽热发光的气体「花茎」之上。玫瑰上点点蓝白微光，属于银河系中最明亮的恒星之一，其中一些恒星的光度是太阳的数百万倍。它们强劲的恒星风推开中心的气体与尘埃，将云体雕塑成这朵闻名的玫瑰形态。尽管这些大质量恒星只有数百万年的历史，但它们的生命已接近终点，而星云中那些较暗的恒星将继续燃烧数十亿年。鲜艳的红色来自被游离的氢气，其游离能量主要由年轻恒星放射的紫外光所驱动。玫瑰中央偏蓝白的区域为假色呈现，用以标示同样处于游离态的氧存在。玫瑰星云提醒我们，美丽与变化交织在宇宙的结构中。
明日的图片: flying free
