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 February 20
   [2]A starfield with a light, orange-tinged background has a dark nebula
   that looks like a flying ghost visible near the middle. Please see the
                 explanation for more detailed information.

                       B93: A Dark Interstellar Ghost
    Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Christian Bertincourt; Text: [4]Keighley
         Rockcliffe ([5]NASA [6]GSFC, [7]UMBC [8]CSST, [9]CRESST II)

   Explanation: "A ghost in the Milky Way…” says Christian Bertincourt,
   the astrophotographer behind [10]this striking image of Barnard 93
   (B93). The 93rd entry in [11]Barnard’s Catalogue of Dark Nebulae, B93
   lies within the [12]Small Sagittarius Star Cloud ([13]Messier 24),
   where its darkness stands in [14]stark contrast to bright stars and gas
   in the background. In some ways, B93 is really like a [15]ghost,
   because it contains gas and dust that was dispersed by [16]the deaths
   of stars, like [17]supernovas. B93 appears as a dark void not because
   it is empty, but because its [18]dust blocks the light emitted by more
   distant stars and glowing gas. Like other dark nebulas, some gas from
   [19]B93, if dense and [20]massive enough, will eventually
   [21]gravitationally condense to form new stars. If so, then [22]once
   these stars ignite, B93 will transform from a dark ghost into a
   brilliant [23]cradle of newborn stars.

                       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/2602/B93_bertincourt_1178.png
   3. https://app.astrobin.com/u/BERTINCOURT
   4. https://kerockcliffe.com/
   5. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci/bio/keighley.e.rockcliffe
   6. https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/
   7. https://physics.umbc.edu/research/astrophysics/
   8. https://csst.umbc.edu/directory/
   9. https://cresst2.umd.edu/
  10. https://app.astrobin.com/i/s3hdtc
  11. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1919ApJ....49....1B/abstract
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap220407.html
  13. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/science/explore-the-night-sky/hubble-messier-catalog/messier-24/
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230129.html
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost
  16. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/science/science-highlights/the-death-throes-of-stars/
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap960623.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231201.html
  19. http://www.messier.seds.org/more/m024_b93.html
  20. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/pLbkUmVzXMs/hq720.jpg
  21. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/
  22. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/science/science-highlights/exploring-the-birth-of-stars/
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260218.html
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260219.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=260220
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260221.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/