                        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 July 10
   A busy star formation region is shown highlighted by red glowing clouds
     and dark ominously-shaped dust. Please see the explanation for more
                            detailed information.

                     Stars, Dust and Nebula in NGC 6559
            Image Credit & Copyright: Adam Block, Telescope Live

   Explanation: When stars form, pandemonium reigns. A textbook case is
   the star forming region NGC 6559. Visible in the featured image are red
   glowing emission nebulas of hydrogen, blue reflection nebulas of dust,
   dark absorption nebulas of dust, and the stars that formed from them.
   The first massive stars formed from the dense gas will emit energetic
   light and winds that erode, fragment, and sculpt their birthplace. And
   then they explode. The resulting morass can be as beautiful as it is
   complex. After tens of millions of years, the dust boils away, the gas
   gets swept away, and all that is left is a bare open cluster of stars.

                       Tomorrow's picture: sun spotted
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