California nebula (NGC 1499). North is at top. This is a huge cloud of gas that glows as the hydrogen it contains is ionised by radiation from the hot

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California nebula (NGC 1499). North is at top. This is a huge cloud of gas that glows as the hydrogen it contains is ionised by radiation from the hot star Menkib (Xi Persei, centre right). The California nebula is named for its shape when seen with north at left, when its shape resembles that of the US state. Photographed by the Oschin Telescope at Mount Palomar Observatory, aptly in California, USA.

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Size: 4622px × 5295px
Photo credit: © DAVIDE DE MARTIN/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1499, astronomical, astronomy, astrophysical, astrophysics, birth, california, emission, evolution, formation, hii, menkib, nebula, nebulosity, ngc, oschin, persei, perseus, region, space, star, starbirth, stellar, telescope, xi