Explanation:
What powers are being wielded in the Wizard Nebula?
Gravitation strong enough to form stars, and
stellar winds
and radiations powerful enough to create and dissolve
towers of gas.
Located only 8,000 light years away, the Wizard nebula,
pictured above, surrounds developing open star cluster NGC 7380.
Visually, the interplay of stars, gas, and dust has created a shape that appears to some like a fictional
medieval sorcerer.
The active star forming region spans 100 about light years, making it appear larger than the angular extent of the Moon.
The Wizard Nebula
can be located with a small telescope toward the constellation of the King of Aethiopia
(Cepheus).
Although the
nebula may last only a few million years, some of the stars being formed may outlive our Sun.
Imagine:
What shape(s) do you see in the nebula?
