Flaming Star nebula (IC 405). This nebula is a cloud of gas that emits light as the hydrogen gas it contains is ionised by radiation from the hot star

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Flaming Star nebula (IC 405). This nebula is a cloud of gas that emits light as the hydrogen gas it contains is ionised by radiation from the hot star AE Aurigae (upper right). The blue regions of the nebula do not emit light, instead reflecting the light of the star. In most emission nebulae the star that ionises the gas was born in the nebula it illuminates. However, AE Aurigae is merely moving through the gas cloud. It is a very fast moving star, travelling at over 300,000 kilometres per hour through space. It is thought that it was ejected from its home system by some catastrophic event, such as a nearby supernova explosion. The nebula lies 1600 light years from Earth in the constellation Auriga.

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Size: 3825px × 2550px
Photo credit: © RUSSELL CROMAN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 405, ae, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, auriga, aurigae, cfht, emission, flaming, gas, hii, ic, nebula, nebulae, nebulosity, reflection, region, runaway, space, star, telescope