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.

June 6, 1996
See Explanation.  Clicking on the picture will download 
 the highest resolution version available.
The North America Nebula
Credit and Copyright: Dominique Dierick and Dirk De la Marche

Explanation: Here's a familiar shape in an unfamiliar location! This emission nebula is famous partly because it resembles Earth's North American Continent. To the right of the North America Nebula is a less luminous Pelican Nebula. Let's be grateful that pelicans aren't really that large! The two emission nebula are located about 1500 light years away and are separated by a dark absorption cloud. The nebulae can be seen without a telescope from a dark location. Look for a small nebular patch north-east of Deneb in the constellation of Cygnus. It is still unknown which star or stars ionize the red-glowing hydrogen gas.

Tomorrow's picture: Apollo 16: Exploring Plum Crater


| Archive | Index | Search | Glossary | Education | About APOD |
See Explanation.  Clicking on the picture will download 
 the highest resolution version available. See Explanation.  Clicking on the picture will download 
 the highest resolution version available. Top 5 logo See Explanation.  Clicking on the picture will download 
 the highest resolution version available.

Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (GMU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA).
NASA Technical Rep.: Sherri Calvo. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA/ GSFC