Globules in the Running
Chicken Nebula
From NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day
The eggs from this
chicken may form into stars. The emission nebula, pictured
below and cataloged as IC 2944, is called
the Running Chicken Nebula
for the shape of its greater appearance.
The image was taken
recently from Siding
Spring Observatory in Australia and presented
in scientifically assigned colors. Seen near the center of the image are small,
dark molecular clouds rich
in obscuring cosmic
dust.
Called Thackeray's Globules for
their discoverer,
these "eggs" are potential sites for the gravitational condensation
of new stars, although their fates are uncertain as they are also being rapidly eroded away by the
intense radiation from nearby young stars.
Together with
patchy glowing gas and complex regions of reflecting dust, these massive and
energetic stars form the open cluster Collinder
249.
This gorgeous skyscape spans about 70
light-years at the nebula's estimated 6,000 light-year distance.
Image Credit & Copyright: Fred Vanderhaven