#sharpless 171

[of-stars-and-dust]

Astronomy Picture of the Day

2005 September 27

The Star Pillars of Sharpless 171

Credit: Nicolas Outters (Observatoire d'Orange)

Explanation: Towering pillars of cold gas and dark dust adorn the center star forming region of Sharpless 171. An open cluster of stars is forming there from the gas in cold molecular clouds. As energetic light emitted by young massive stars boils away the opaque dust, the region fragments and picturesque pillars of the remnant gas and dust form and slowly evaporate. The energetic light also illuminates the surrounding hydrogen gas, energize it to glow as a red emission nebula. Pictured above is the active central region of the Sharpless 171 greater emission nebula. Sharpless 171 incorporates NGC 7822 and the active region Cederblad 214, much of which is imaged above. The area above spans about 20 light years, lies about 3,000 light years away, and can be seen with a telescope toward the northern constellation of the King of Ethiopia (Cepheus).

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)

NASA Official: Jay Norris.

A service of: EUD at NASA / GSFC

& Michigan Tech. U.

[iliveinaspiralgalaxy]

Cederblad 214 by Ken Mackintosh Via Flickr: Also designated Sharpless 171, this is a young irregular emission nebula and star forming region of about 40 light-years across, located some 3,300 light-years away at the edge of a giant molecular cloud toward the northern constellation Cepheus. Cosmic pillars of cold molecular gas and clouds of dark dust lie within. Powering the nebular glow are the young, hot stars of the Berkeley 59 cluster. This includes one of the hottest stars discovered in the vicinity of our Sun, namely BD+66 1673, an eclipsing binary system containing a very bright star with a luminosity ~100000 times that of the Sun. Its been a while since my last astro image due to short summer nights, the mainly bad weather since then and work and other commitments, but good to get posting again. The data for this image was gathered a few months back over 6 separate nights during June through August 2012, just took a while to get to the processing! Tech details below: Skywatcher MN190 (@F5.3) Mount - EQ6 Starlight Xpress SXVR-H18 @ -20 degs QHY5 PHD guiding, guidesope Celestron ED80 Ha - Baader 7nm - 20x15min bin1x1 S2 - Baader 8nm - 16x15min bin2x2 O3 - Baader 8nm - 16x15min bin2x2 Total time 13h HST mapping: Red - SII, Green - Ha, Blue - OIII Captured in Nebulosity 2 Calibration, stack and DDP in Images Plus Curves + all other processing PS CS3

[spinningblueball]

The Star Pillars of Sharpless 171 Credit & Copyright: Nicolas Outters (Observatoire d'Orange) 

[brightestofcentaurus]

Sharpless 171

Sharpless 171 is an emission nebula and star forming region located about 3,000 light years away towards the constellation Cepheus, the king of Ethiopia. This region is about 20 light years across, showing the central area of the nebula.

The glow of Sharpless 171 is powered by young stars within, an open cluster called Berkeley 59. The radiation from the stars not only illuminate the hydrogen gas of the region but also burns away the dust and gas, slowly evaporating the nebula.

Image from NASA, information from NASA.

[brightestofcentaurus]

Sharpless 171

Sharpless 171 is an emission nebula and star forming region located about 3,000 light years away towards the constellation Cepheus. This view of the region is about 20 light years across and includes part of Cederblad 214, an active region part of Sharpless 171.

Also included in the region is NGC 7822 and Berkely 59, a young star cluster. This cluster emits radiation that erodes surrounding dust and gas, creating the transient shapes of the nebula's material. The radiation also ionizes hydrogen atoms, stripping away electrons which emit red light upon recombining.

Image from NASA, information from NASA.

[ohstarstuff]

Cosmic pillars of cold molecular gas and clouds of dark dust lie within Sharpless 171, a star-forming region some 3,000 light-years away in the constellation Cepheus. This false-color skyscape spans about 20 light-years across the nebula's bright central region. Powering the nebular glow are the young, hot stars of a newly formed cluster, Berkeley 59. (Credit & Copyright: Antonio Fernandez)

[nox-vigilata]

Emission nebula NGC 7822 in the constellation Cepheus

[spacettf]

Cederblad 214 by kappacygni on Flickr.