The
Physics of the Horsehead Nebula in Orion
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INTRODUCTION
The Horsehead Nebula
in Orion is considered by many to be the most photogenic and spectacular
object in the night sky.
It is one of the few
nebulae
with an instantly recognisable form: the silhouette of dust and gas appearing
as a celestial chess piece superimposed on a background of red light. In
fact, the nebula itself is
extremely hard to observe with the eye,
mainly due to the proximity of very bright stars. Long-exposure photographs,
however, show it in all its glory.
To set the scene,
I will give an outline description of the region surrounding the Horsehead.
The physical processes occurring in these regions will then be discussed.
There is much to delight
the connoiseur of atomic physics in this area of the sky !!
To assist in your comprehension
of what follows, reference should be made to the above photograph of the
entire Horsehead region and to the diagram below which labels the main
components on the photograph.Click on the relevant part of the map to learn
more.
The Horsehead itself is
part of a larger area of dust and gas which obscures much of the area to
the left (East) of the main nebula itself. The dust obscures the glowing
nebula behind it (IC 434), as viewed from Earth. The result is that we
see the shape of a horse’s head. Viewed from another vantage point in space,
the shape of this obscuring cloud would not resemble that of a horse.
Description
Of The Region |
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