Robby
11th January 2008, 08:43 PM
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0801/PolarisNebula_mandel800.jpg (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0801/PolarisNebula_mandel.jpg)
Polaris Dust Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/ about_apod.html#srapply): Steve Mandel (Hidden Valley Observatory (http://www.galaxyimages.com/))
Research Collaboration: Adolf Witt (University of Toledo (http://astro1.panet.utoledo.edu/~webforce/hm.html)) et al.
Explanation: Centered on North Star Polaris (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polaris), this 4 degree wide field of view (http://www.galaxyimages.com/Polaris%20Nebula.html) covers part of a complex of relatively unfamiliar (http://www.galaxyimages.com/UNP_IFNebula.html), diffuse dust clouds soaring high (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050929.html) above the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy. The combined light of the Milky Way stars are reflected by the dusty, galactic cirrus (http://www.allthesky.com/nebulae/cirrus.html), the reflected starlight having the same blue tint characteristic of better known reflection nebulae (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031229.html). But this deep color image also records a faint reddish luminescence from the dust grains as they convert invisible stellar ultraviolet radiation to visible red light. Dubbed extended red emission (http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0309674), the dim cosmic glow (http://www.abstractsonline.com/viewer/viewAbstract.asp? CKey={40C5CA01-5B21-4BD8-96EE-FFA99D0BC1BE}& MKey={E8A7FEA1-C000-47D0-9D7E-5FC3585613A9}& AKey={AAF9AABA-B0FF-4235-8AEC-74F22FC76386}& SKey={FBA08DFC-D3E8-47E0-9072-716672B2F91E}) is thought to be caused by complex organic molecules known as PAHs (http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/features/articles/ 20050627.shtml) (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), common constituents of interstellar (http://www-ssg.sr.unh.edu/ism/what1.html) dust. On planet Earth, PAHs are widely encountered as the sooty products of combustion.
(Via NASA) (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080111.html)
Polaris Dust Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/lib/ about_apod.html#srapply): Steve Mandel (Hidden Valley Observatory (http://www.galaxyimages.com/))
Research Collaboration: Adolf Witt (University of Toledo (http://astro1.panet.utoledo.edu/~webforce/hm.html)) et al.
Explanation: Centered on North Star Polaris (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polaris), this 4 degree wide field of view (http://www.galaxyimages.com/Polaris%20Nebula.html) covers part of a complex of relatively unfamiliar (http://www.galaxyimages.com/UNP_IFNebula.html), diffuse dust clouds soaring high (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050929.html) above the plane of our Milky Way Galaxy. The combined light of the Milky Way stars are reflected by the dusty, galactic cirrus (http://www.allthesky.com/nebulae/cirrus.html), the reflected starlight having the same blue tint characteristic of better known reflection nebulae (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap031229.html). But this deep color image also records a faint reddish luminescence from the dust grains as they convert invisible stellar ultraviolet radiation to visible red light. Dubbed extended red emission (http://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0309674), the dim cosmic glow (http://www.abstractsonline.com/viewer/viewAbstract.asp? CKey={40C5CA01-5B21-4BD8-96EE-FFA99D0BC1BE}& MKey={E8A7FEA1-C000-47D0-9D7E-5FC3585613A9}& AKey={AAF9AABA-B0FF-4235-8AEC-74F22FC76386}& SKey={FBA08DFC-D3E8-47E0-9072-716672B2F91E}) is thought to be caused by complex organic molecules known as PAHs (http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/features/articles/ 20050627.shtml) (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), common constituents of interstellar (http://www-ssg.sr.unh.edu/ism/what1.html) dust. On planet Earth, PAHs are widely encountered as the sooty products of combustion.
(Via NASA) (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080111.html)