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.

                              2025 September 19
    [2]See Explanation. Clicking on the picture will download the highest
                        resolution version available.

                            The NGC 6914 Complex
                 Image Credit & [3]Copyright: [4]Tommy Lease

   Explanation: A study in contrasts, [5]this colorful cosmic skyscape
   features [6]stars, dust, and glowing gas in the vicinity of NGC 6914.
   The [7]interstellar complex of nebulae lies some 6,000 light-years
   away, toward the high-flying northern constellation [8]Cygnus and the
   plane of our Milky Way Galaxy. Obscuring interstellar dust clouds
   appear in silhouette while reddish hydrogen [9]emission nebulae, along
   with the dusty blue [10]reflection nebulae, fill the cosmic canvas.
   Ultraviolet radiation from the massive, hot, young stars of the
   extensive [11]Cygnus OB2 association ionize the region's atomic
   [12]hydrogen gas, producing the characteristic red glow as protons and
   electrons recombine. Embedded Cygnus OB2 stars also provide the blue
   starlight strongly reflected by the dust clouds. The over one degree
   wide telescopic field of view spans about 100 light-years at the
   estimated distance of NGC 6914.

                      Tomorrow's picture: light-weekend
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    Authors & editors: [24]Robert Nemiroff ([25]MTU) & [26]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([27]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [28]Specific rights apply.
            [29]NASA Web Privacy, [30]Accessibility, [31]Notices;
                A service of: [32]ASD at [33]NASA / [34]GSFC,
                         [35]NASA Science Activation
                           & [36]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2509/NGC6914_2048.jpg
   3. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
   4. https://www.instagram.com/colorado_astro/
   5. https://www.instagram.com/colorado_astro/p/DOqovC8kZC4/
   6. https://www.nasa.gov/missions/roman-space-telescope/how-nasas-roman-mission-will-unveil-our-home-galaxy-using-cosmic-dust/
   7. https://app.astrobin.com/i/mrfz6c
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070920.html
   9. http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/E/Emission+Nebula
  10. http://astronomy.swin.edu.au/cosmos/E/Reflection+Nebula
  11. http://arxiv.org/abs/1003.2463
  12. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap051223.html
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250918.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  17. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  19. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  22. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250919
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250920.html
  24. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  25. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  26. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  27. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  29. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  30. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  31. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  32. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  33. https://www.nasa.gov/
  34. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  35. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  36. http://www.mtu.edu/