Astronomy Picture Of The Day Explore the cosmos Every day, a new image or photograph of the fascinating universe is presented along with a short explanation by an astronomer. September 3, 2021
NGC 7023: The Iris Nebula
Image Credit and Copyright: Satwant K.
Explanation: These cosmic cloud have bloomed 1,300 light years away in the fertile starfields surrounding the constellation Cepheus. NGC 7023, also known as the Iris Nebula is not the only nebula that evokes images of flowers. This telescopic image still shows the Iris Nebula’s variety of colors and symmetries embedded in interstellar dust. The Iris is surrounded by dusty nebular material. Blue is the dominant color in the brighter reflection Nebula. This is due to dust grains reflecting starlight. The central filaments of the reflection Nebula glow with faint reddish photoluminesence because some dust grains convert invisible ultraviolet radiation from visible red light to create a glowing effect. Infrared observations show that the nebula is rich in complex carbon molecules called PAHs. The Iris Nebula's dusty blue petals span six light-years.
