Flaming star nebula (IC 405, orange at right) and the tadpole nebula (IC 410, mostly blue at lower left). These are emission nebulae, huge clouds of g

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Flaming star nebula (IC 405, orange at right) and the tadpole nebula (IC 410, mostly blue at lower left). These are emission nebulae, huge clouds of gas and dust that glow as the hydrogen they contain is ionised by radiation from the hot young stars that have formed within them. The nebulae lie about 1600 light years from Earth, in the constellation Auriga. Different colours represent different ionised gases; sulphur is red, hydrogen is green and oxygen is blue.

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Photo credit: © J-P METSAVAINIO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
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