深场影像: 心脏星云

2023年12月13日

Deep Field: The Heart Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: William Ostling, Telescope Live

Explanation: What excites the Heart Nebula? First, the large emission nebula on the left, catalogued as IC 1805, looks somewhat like a human heart. The nebula glows brightly in red light emitted by its most prominent element, hydrogen, but this long-exposure image was also blended with light emitted by silicon (yellow) and oxygen (blue). In the center of the Heart Nebula are young stars from the open star cluster Melotte 15 that are eroding away several picturesque dust pillars with their atom-exciting energetic light and winds. The Heart Nebula is located about 7,500 light years away toward the constellation of Cassiopeia. At the bottom right of the Heart Nebula is the companion Fishhead Nebula. This wide and deep image clearly shows, though, that glowing gas surrounds the Heart Nebula in all directions.

Tomorrow’s picture: open space

深场影像: 心脏星云
影像提供与版权: William Ostling, Telescope Live

说明: 是什么在驱动心脏星云发光呢？首先，影像左侧这个编录号为IC 1805的大型发射星云，整体外观形似人的心脏。此星云明亮的泛红辉光，来自其内最主要的元素氢所发出的红光，不过这幅长曝光影像，也记录了源自矽（黄）及氧（蓝）所发出的光。而位在心脏星云中心的疏散星团梅洛特15之年轻成员星，更以恒星风和能激发原子的高能辐射雕蚀出数根很上相的尘埃柱。心脏星云位于仙后座方向，约7,500光年远之处。此外，心脏星云的右下方有鱼头星云为伴。这张广袤而深邃的影像，明确的显示心脏星云周遭的所有方位，皆包裹着发光的云气。 （Melotte 15 梅洛特15）

明日的图片: open space