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.

2023 April 10
A bright gaseous nebula is pictured in front of a star field. 
To some, the outline of the nebula make it look like a running chicken. 
Dark knots of dust are seen near the bright nebula's centre. 
Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

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. Catalogued 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 colours, 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


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