APOD 3.6

Pictured above is the eagle nebula, located in the constellation Serpens. Through the window pictured, you can see young stars beginning to form. The nebula lies over 6500 light years away and spans 20 light years. The photo directly correlates with what we are currently learning in regards to star formation.

Sources: Dorothea Klumpke Roberts

"Leonid MAC - Dorothea Klumke and the 1899 Leonids." Leonid MAC - Dorothea Klumke and the 1899 Leonids. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.

"Dorothea Klumpke Roberts, Pioneer Woman Astronomer." AANC Article: Dorothea Klumpke Roberts. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Feb. 2014.

APOD 3.5

Pictured above is the emission nebula IC 1805. It is a mix of interstellar gas and dark dust clouds that lies about 7500 light years away from where Perseus resides in our galaxy. This nebula is nicknamed the Heart Nebula, perfect for Valentines day. The clouds are shaped by stellar winds and radiation from the nebula's newborn star Melotte 15. This heart is found inside Cassiopeia, the queen. I chose this photo because of it's correlation with what we just studied pertaining to emission nebulaes and what we are currently studying pertaining to how stars form. Also, it's pretty.

APOD 3.4

Pictured above is the barred spiral galaxy NGC 5105 and NGC 5078. They are separated by about .5 degrees, or the apparent width of the full moon. Both are found within the constellation Hydra, and are only an estimated 90 million lightyears away. They are both similar in size to our own Milky Way Galaxy. The prominent stars within the foreground lie within our own galaxy as well. I chose this photo because it is an interesting illustration of the way we perceive size and brightness to indicate distance from the Earth.

APOD 3.3

Pictured above is an unusually intense red airglow captured with a long exposure in Southwest China. The airglow is due to chemiluminescence which is the production of light through chemical excitation. Although is looks something like the Northern Lights, this phenomenon can actually be seen all around the globe. The chemical energy necessary to produce the glow comes from the Sun in the form of ultraviolet radiation. I chose this photo because it relates to what we are currently studying in terms of the Sun and excited atoms, and also because it is beautiful. I mean, come on. Look at those mountains.