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Nebula

by Jerry Coffey on January 6, 2009

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Nebula

A new look at the Eagle Nebula by Hubble. Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA

One of the most spectacular phenomena in space is a nebula. A nebula is an interstellar cloud that is made up of dust, hydrogen and helium gas, and plasma. It is formed when portions of the interstellar medium collapse and clump together due to the gravitational attraction of the particles that comprise them. To the average observer they look like a huge, colored blob floating in space.

There is no way to estimate the number of nebulae that there may be in the universe. There are dozens known. Here is a list of links to articles about various nebulae and some about general information. To help you understand what may be found in these links here are a few fun facts about nebulae to help wet your appetite.

A nebula may be the beginning or the end of a star. Either way it is a collapse of the interstellar medium in the area.

A nebula was the first item listed in Messier’s list of objects that were mistakenly thought to be comets.

Two star forming nebulae can bees seen with the unaided eye in the Northern Hemisphere.

Some nebulae are so dark that they can only be seen because of the ionization of hydrogen in the interstellar medium behind them. Essentially, the background light makes them visible.

These are just a few of the fun and interesting facts that you will find in the links below. Each link contains at least one image of the nebula that it is associated with. Hopefully, you will find everything that you need to know and , as always, enjoy your research.

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