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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.   
      
                                  2023 January 29   
        A dark comma-shaped cloud appears in the middle of a dense field of   
      stars. No stars are visible through the center of the cloud. Please see   
                  the explanation for more detailed information.   
      
                         Barnard 68: Dark Molecular Cloud   
                 Image Credit: FORS Team, 8.2-meter VLT Antu, ESO   
      
      Explanation: Where did all the stars go? What used to be considered a   
      hole in the sky is now known to astronomers as a dark molecular cloud.   
      Here, a high concentration of dust and molecular gas absorb practically   
      all the visible light emitted from background stars. The eerily dark   
      surroundings help make the interiors of molecular clouds some of the   
      coldest and most isolated places in the universe. One of the most   
      notable of these dark absorption nebulae is a cloud toward the   
      constellation Ophiuchus known as Barnard 68, pictured here. That no   
      stars are visible in the center indicates that Barnard 68 is relatively   
      nearby, with measurements placing it about 500 light-years away and   
      half a light-year across. It is not known exactly how molecular clouds   
      like Barnard 68 form, but it is known that these clouds are themselves   
      likely places for new stars to form. In fact, Barnard 68 itself has   
      been found likely to collapse and form a new star system. It is   
      possible to look right through the cloud in infrared light.   
      
               Postcards from the Universe 2022: APOD Year in Review   
                   Tomorrow's picture: bright marking on the sky   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.   
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                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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