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.

                               2024 October 29
     [2]A starfield is shown featuring many stars in the center and many
      pillars of interstellar dust around the edges pointing toward the
   center. The main image is in infrared light, and a rollover image from
        Hubble shows the same scene in visible light. Please see the
                 explanation for more detailed information.

                   NGC 602: Stars Versus Pillars from Webb
    Credit: [3]ESA/[4]Webb, [5]NASA & [6]CSA, [7]P. Zeidler, [8]E. Sabbi,
                  [9]A. Nota, [10]M. Zamani ([11]ESA/Webb)

   Explanation: The stars are destroying the pillars. More specifically,
   some of the newly formed [12]stars in the image center are emitting
   light so energetic that is [13]evaporating the gas and dust in the
   surrounding [14]pillars. Simultaneously, the [15]pillars themselves are
   still trying to [16]form new stars. The whole setting is the star
   cluster [17]NGC 602, and this new vista was taken by the [18]Webb Space
   Telescope in multiple [19]infrared colors. In comparison, a roll-over
   image shows the same star cluster in [20]visible light, taken
   previously by the [21]Hubble Space Telescope. NGC 602 is located near
   the perimeter of the [22]Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a small
   satellite galaxy of our Milky Way galaxy. At the estimated distance of
   the SMC, the [23]featured picture spans about 200 light-years. A
   [24]tantalizing assortment of [25]background galaxies are also visible
   -- mostly around the edges -- that are at least hundreds of millions of
   [26]light-years beyond.

                       Tomorrow's picture: head space
     __________________________________________________________________

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    Authors & editors: [38]Robert Nemiroff ([39]MTU) & [40]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([41]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [42]Specific rights apply.
            [43]NASA Web Privacy, [44]Accessibility, [45]Notices;
                A service of: [46]ASD at [47]NASA / [48]GSFC,
                         [49]NASA Science Activation
                           & [50]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2410/NGC602_Webb_5863.jpg
   3. https://www.esa.int/
   4. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/
   5. https://www.nasa.gov/
   6. https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/
   7. https://www.stsci.edu/stsci-research/research-directory/peter-zeidler
   8. https://www.stsci.edu/~sabbi/
   9. https://www.issibern.ch/people/dr-antonella-nota/
  10. https://mahdizamani.com/about
  11. https://esawebb.org/
  12. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/types/
  13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231206.html
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap201206.html
  15. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230110.html
  16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_formation
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_602
  18. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/
  19. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/07_infraredwaves/
  20. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/09_visiblelight/
  21. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/hubble/
  22. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small_Magellanic_Cloud
  23. https://esawebb.org/images/weic2425c/
  24. https://cdn.animalchannel.co/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/06062531/concerned_dog_featured-1.png
  25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap210802.html
  26. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241028.html
  28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  31. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  33. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  36. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=241029
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241030.html
  38. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  39. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  40. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  41. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  42. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  43. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  44. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  45. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  46. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  47. https://www.nasa.gov/
  48. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  49. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  50. http://www.mtu.edu/