APOD 3.8

 

This is a picture of NGC 1579: Trifid of the North. This nebula is found in the constellation Perseus and is very similar to a more well known nebula, the Trifid. The nebula is about 2100 light years away and 3 light years across, and expresses an interesting color scheme. Similar to Trifid, the nebula displays a red light, however the light source is different from that of Trifid. Instead of hydrogen emitting red light when excited by ultraviolet light, a star inside the nebula creates the energy to produce the colored light. The blue reflection nebula is created the same as Trifid however, from reflection of starlight by dust.