Space Photo Quiz

Feb. 6, 2009
 
aurora borealis meteor shower quadrantid nasa

A: Heart Nebula

Ok, so perhaps not the heart of it all, but the heart of the Heart Nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia.

This gaseous region is glowing in hues of magenta thanks to the light from hot, massive stars mingling amid the dust clouds.

What's up with the Valentine's Day-red color? Hydrogen.

When hydrogen absorbs bright starlight, it becomes excited. With nowhere else to go but the vacuum of space, the hydrogen re-emits the light energy in a wavelength we see as red.

--StarTales, Lowell Observatory/Dave Mosher

Want to test your wits some more? Check out last month's Space Photo Quiz!

Credit: Hunter Wilson - For a full-resolution image, click here.
 
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