Entry for March 28, 2008/ Nice way to end the week

Astronomy Picture of the Day

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2008 March 27

The N44 Complex
Credit &Copyright:Don Goldman,Macedon Ranges Observatory

Explanation:A truly giant complex ofemission nebulae, N44 is about 1,000 light-years across. It shines in southern skies as a denizen of our neighboring galaxy, theLarge Magellanic Cloud, 170,000 light-years away.Winds and intense radiation from hot, young, luminous stars in N44 excite and sculpt filaments and streamers of theglowing nebular gas. Butsupernovae - the death explosions of the massive short lived stars - have also likely contributed to the region's enormous, blown-out shapes. The cluster of young stars seen near the center lies ina superbubble nearly 250 light-years across. Thisdetailed, false-color view of the intricate structures codes emission from hydrogen, oxygen, and sulfur in shades of blue and green.

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Tomorrow's picture:far sighted

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