Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]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 April 10
     [2]A bright gaseous nebula is pictured in front of a star field. To
    some, the outline of the nebula make it look like a running chicken.
   Dark knots of dust are seen near the bright nebula's center. Please see
               the explanation for more detailed information.

                     IC 2944: The Running Chicken Nebula
                  Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Daniel Stern

   Explanation: To some, it looks like a [4]giant [5]chicken running
   across the sky. To others, it looks like a gaseous nebula where [6]star
   formation takes place. Cataloged as [7]IC 2944, the [8]Running Chicken
   Nebula spans about 100 light years and lies about 6,000 [9]light years
   away toward the constellation of the [10]Centaur (Centaurus). The
   [11]featured image, shown in [12]scientifically assigned colors, was
   captured recently in a 16-hour exposure over three nights. The [13]star
   cluster [14]Collinder [15]249 is visible embedded in the nebula's
   glowing gas. Although difficult to discern here, several dark
   [16]molecular clouds with [17]distinct shapes can be [18]found inside
   the nebula.

                      Tomorrow's picture: almost north
     __________________________________________________________________

      [19]< | [20]Archive | [21]Submissions | [22]Index | [23]Search |
   [24]Calendar | [25]RSS | [26]Education | [27]About APOD | [28]Discuss |
                                    [29]>
     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [30]Robert Nemiroff ([31]MTU) & [32]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([33]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Phillip Newman [34]Specific rights apply.
              [35]NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                A service of: [36]ASD at [37]NASA / [38]GSFC,
                         [39]NASA Science Activation
                           & [40]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2304/ChickenRun_Stern_9006.jpg
   3. https://www.instagram.com/messierchaser/
   4. https://www.pbase.com/image/135786665
   5. https://youtu.be/jPyN3K1Up6c?t=5
   6. https://jwst.nasa.gov/birth.html
   7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IC_2944
   8. https://apod.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search?tquery=chicken
   9. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/
  10. https://www.greekmythology.com/Myths/Creatures/Centaur/centaur.html
  11. https://www.instagram.com/p/CqMnq_gugxF/
  12. https://hubblesite.org/contents/articles/the-meaning-of-light-and-color
  13. http://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=18009
  14. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per_Collinder
  15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/249_(number)
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Molecular_cloud
  17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap081228.html
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap140305.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230409.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod.rss
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  28. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=230410
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230411.html
  30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  32. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  33. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  36. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/
  38. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  39. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  40. http://www.mtu.edu/