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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 October 31   
      
                          Rigel and the Witch Head Nebula   
                      Image Credit & Copyright: Simone Curzi   
      
      Explanation: By starlight, this eerie visage shines in the dark with a   
      crooked profile evoking its popular name, the Witch Head Nebula. In   
      fact, this entrancing telescopic portrait gives the impression that a   
      witch has fixed her gaze on Orion's bright supergiant star Rigel. More   
      formally known as IC 2118, the Witch Head Nebula spans about 50   
      light-years and is composed of interstellar dust grains reflecting   
      Rigel's starlight. The color of the Witch Head Nebula is caused not   
      only by Rigel's intense blue light, but because the dust grains scatter   
      blue light more efficiently than red. The same physical process causes   
      Earth's daytime sky to appear blue, although the scatterers in Earth's   
      atmosphere are molecules of nitrogen and oxygen. Rigel and this dusty   
      cosmic crone are about 800 light-years away. You may still see a few   
      witches in your neighborhood tonight though, so have a safe and Happy   
      Halloween!   
      
                        Tomorrow's picture: pixels in space   
        __________________________________________________________________   
      
          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,   
                              NASA Science Activation   
                                & Michigan Tech. U.   
      
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