The Devil's Tower Nebula: RCW 85 in Centaurus

The Devil's Tower Nebula: RCW 85 in Centaurus

From the 1960 astronomical catalog of Rodgers, Campbell and Whiteoak (RCW), emission region RCW 85 shines in Earth's southern night skies between the bright stars Alpha and Beta Centauri. About 5,000 light years distant, the hazy interstellar cloud of glowing hydrogen gas and dust is faint. However, detailed structures along well-defined rims within RCW 85 are traced in this cosmic skyscape composed of 28 hours of narrow and broadband exposures. Suggestive of dramatic shapes in other stellar nurseries where natal clouds of gas and dust are sculpted by energetic winds and radiation from newborn stars, the tantalizing nebula has been called the Devil's Tower. This telescopic frame would span around 100 light-years at the estimated distance of RCW 85. The bright star in the upper-left is HD125158.

Image Credit & Copyright: Martin Pugh

Martn's website: https://www.martinpughastrophotography.space/about

Release Date: June 14, 2024

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