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                           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.   
      
                                 2024 December 17   
       A wide star field is shown with several nebulae as identified by the   
        rollover image. On the upper left is a large nebula named the Heart   
         Nebula. Please see the explanation for more detailed information.   
      
                             Near to the Heart Nebula   
                 Image Credit & Copyright: Jeff Horne & Drew Evans   
      
      Explanation: What excites the Heart Nebula? First, the large emission   
      nebula on the upper left, catalogued as IC 1805, looks somewhat like a   
      human heart. The nebula glows brightly in red light emitted by its most   
      prominent element, hydrogen, but this long-exposure image was also   
      blended with light emitted by sulfur (yellow) and oxygen (blue). In the   
      center of the Heart Nebula are young stars from the open star cluster   
      Melotte 15 that are eroding away several picturesque dust pillars with   
      their atom-exciting energetic light and winds. The Heart Nebula is   
      located about 7,500 light years away toward the constellation of   
      Cassiopeia. This wide field image shows much more, though, including   
      the Fishhead Nebula just below the Heart, a supernova remnant on the   
      lower left, and three planetary nebulas on the image right. Taken over   
      57 nights, this image is so deep, though, that it clearly shows fainter   
      long and complex filaments.   
      
                        Tomorrow's picture: twisted galaxy   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.   
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                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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