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   CHRS: LATIN-1 2   
                           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 24   
           A starfield filled with colorful gas and dark dust features a   
      cone-shaped nebula near the image top and nebular structure reminiscent   
        of the fur of a fox near the middle. A wide area of light emission   
      resembles the shape of a Christmas tree. Please see the explanation for   
                            more detailed information.   
      
                         Fox Fur, Cone, and Christmas Tree   
                        Image Credit & Copyright: Tim White   
      
      Explanation: What do the following things have in common: a cone, the   
      fur of a fox, and a Christmas tree? Answer: they all occur in the   
      constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros). Considered as a star forming   
      region and cataloged as NGC 2264, the complex jumble of cosmic gas and   
      dust is about 2,700 light-years distant and mixes reddish emission   
      nebulae excited by energetic light from newborn stars with dark   
      interstellar dust clouds. The featured image spans an angle larger than   
      a full moon, covering over 50 light-years at the distance of NGC 2264.   
      Its cast of cosmic characters includes the Fox Fur Nebula, whose   
      convoluted pelt lies just to the left of the image center, bright   
      variable star S Mon visible just to the right of the Fox Fur, and the   
      Cone Nebula near the image top. With the Cone Nebula at the peak, the   
      shape of the general glow of the region give it the nickname of the   
      Christmas Tree Cluster, where stars are tree ornaments.   
      
                   Explore Your Universe: Random APOD Generator   
                            Tomorrow's picture: sky eye   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.   
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