Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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.

                               2026 January 28
   [2]In a starfield glowing red, several features stand out. On the right
   is a diffuse white band, and on the upper right is some dark dust. Most
     prominently, though, are two blue structures in the center, one of
    which has a dark band running across near the middle. Please see the
                 explanation for more detailed information.

                    M78: Reflecting Blue in a Sea of Red
                Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Daniel McCauley

   Explanation: In the vast [4]Orion Molecular Cloud complex, several
   bright blue nebulas are particularly apparent. [5]Pictured here in the
   center are two of the most prominent [6]reflection nebulas - [7]dust
   clouds lit by the reflecting light of bright embedded [8]stars. The
   more famous nebula is [9]M78, in the image center, cataloged over 200
   years ago. To its upper left is the lesser known [10]NGC 2071.
   Astronomers continue to [11]study these [12]reflection nebulas to
   [13]better understand how interior stars form. The overall [14]red glow
   is from diffuse [15]hydrogen gas that covers much of the [16]Orion
   complex that spans much of the [17]constellation of Orion. Nearby in
   the [18]greater complex, which lies about 1,500 [19]light years away,
   are the [20]Orion Nebula, the [21]Horsehead Nebula, and [22]Barnard's
   Loop -- partially seen here as the white band on the upper left.

                Almost Hyperspace: [23]Random APOD Generator
                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
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    Authors & editors: [35]Robert Nemiroff ([36]MTU) & [37]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([38]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [39]Specific rights apply.
            [40]NASA Web Privacy, [41]Accessibility, [42]Notices;
                A service of: [43]ASD at [44]NASA / [45]GSFC,
                         [46]NASA Science Activation
                           & [47]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2601/M78Red_McCauley_2048.jpg
   3. https://www.flickr.com/photos/141763086@N06/
   4. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap161204.html
   5. https://www.flickr.com/photos/141763086@N06/54983729233/
   6. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/reflection_nebulae.html
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap990509.html
   8. https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/how-do-stars-form-and-evolve
   9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_78
  10. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_2071
  11. http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2001ApJ...547..311H
  12. https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/reflection-nebula/
  13. http://68.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5hfctHc7i1rrgr1no1_1280.jpg
  14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen-alpha
  15. https://astrobiology.nasa.gov/news/deep-hydrogen/
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070125.html
  17. http://www.hawastsoc.org/deepsky/ori/
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap151123.html
  19. https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/what-is-a-light-year/
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250420.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap251210.html
  22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barnard's_Loop
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/random_apod.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260127.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  28. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  30. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  33. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260128
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260129.html
  35. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  36. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  37. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  38. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  39. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  41. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  42. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  43. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/
  45. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  46. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  47. http://www.mtu.edu/