IC 2944: 奔鸡星云

2023年4月10日

IC 2944: The Running Chicken Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright: Daniel Stern

Explanation: To some, it looks like a giant chicken running across the sky. To others, it looks like a gaseous nebula where star formation takes place. Cataloged as IC 2944, the Running Chicken Nebula spans about 100 light years and lies about 6,000 light years away toward the constellation of the Centaur (Centaurus). The featured image, shown in scientifically assigned colors, was captured recently in a 16-hour exposure over three nights. The star cluster Collinder 249 is visible embedded in the nebula’s glowing gas. Although difficult to discern here, several dark molecular clouds with distinct shapes can be found inside the nebula.

Tomorrow’s picture: almost north

IC 2944: 奔鸡星云
影像提供与版权: Daniel Stern

说明: 有人会说，它像是在天空飞奔的庞大鸡只，而对其他人而言，它是一团有恒星形成于其内的云气。编录号为IC 2944的奔鸡星云，位在南天的半人马座方向，宽度约有100光年，距离则在6,000光年上下。这幅依照科学内涵上色的主题影像，是在不久之前用16小时的长曝光拍摄所得。影像中，还可见到镶在星云明亮云气里的星团Collinder 249。虽然在这张影像里难以辨识，但是在此星云内还有数个具有特殊形状的暗分子云。（Running Chicken Nebula 奔鸡星云）

明日的图片: almost north