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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 October 27   
      A starfield is shown with a large brown dust nebula in the center. The   
       nebula appears, to some, to be shaped like a bat. One of the stars in   
       the dust nebula even appears to be the eye of the bat. Please see the   
                    explanation for more detailed information.   
      
                           LDN 43: The Cosmic Bat Nebula   
      Credit & Copyright: Mark Hanson and Mike Selby; Text: Michelle Thaller   
                                   (NASA's GSFC)   
      
      Explanation: What is the most spook-tacular nebula in the galaxy? One   
      contender is LDN 43, which bears an astonishing resemblance to a vast   
      cosmic bat flying amongst the stars on a dark Halloween night. Located   
      about 1400 light years away in the constellation Ophiuchus, this   
      molecular cloud is dense enough to block light not only from background   
      stars, but from wisps of gas lit up by the nearby reflection nebula LBN   
      7. Far from being a harbinger of death, this 12-light year-long   
      filament of gas and dust is actually a stellar nursery. Glowing with   
      eerie light, the bat is lit up from inside by dense gaseous knots that   
      have just formed young stars.   
      
        Your Sky Surprise: What picture did APOD feature on your birthday?   
                                    (post 1995)   
                         Tomorrow's picture: amazing STEVE   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)   
               NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.   
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                         A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,   
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                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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