Astronomy Picture of the Day
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Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2025 September 19
The NGC 6914 Complex
Image Credit &
Copyright:
Explanation:
A study in contrasts,
this colorful cosmic skyscape
features
stars, dust, and glowing gas
in the vicinity of NGC 6914.
The
interstellar complex of nebulae
lies some 6,000 light-years away,
toward the high-flying northern constellation
Cygnus and the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy.
Obscuring interstellar dust clouds appear in
silhouette while reddish hydrogen
emission nebulae,
along with the dusty blue
reflection nebulae,
fill the cosmic canvas.
Ultraviolet radiation from the massive, hot, young stars of the
extensive
Cygnus OB2
association ionize the region’s atomic
hydrogen gas, producing
the characteristic red glow as protons and electrons recombine.
Embedded Cygnus OB2 stars also provide the
blue starlight strongly reflected by the dust clouds.
The over one degree wide telescopic field of view spans
about 100 light-years at the estimated distance of NGC 6914.
Tomorrow’s picture: light-weekend
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Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
NASA Official: Amber Straughn
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