The Running Chicken Nebula, located at an extraordinary distance of 6,500 light-years from our planet, presents us with a remarkable spectacle in the sky. However, this small cloud of cosmic gas and dust doesn’t resemble a furry animal friend, as its name might suggest. Observed by the European Southern Observatory (ESO) with its enormous Very Large Survey Telescope (VST), the Running Chicken Nebula extends over an area 25 times larger than the full moon, revealing its beauty in the form of a mosaic composed of hundreds of individual images with a total resolution of 1.5 billion pixels.
Deep within the fiery clouds of the Running Chicken Nebula, dense pockets of gas undergo gravitational collapse, leading to the process of nuclear fusion and the birth of new stars. Young stars emit powerful ultraviolet radiation, which heats up the surrounding hydrogen clouds, causing the intense pink glow of the nebula. The brightest part of the nebula appears to have the shape of a chicken’s body or feathers on its tail, depending on the perspective.
Stellar winds carrying ultraviolet radiation and charged particles bombard the surrounding gas, creating columns and carving out holes. Among the fascinating features of the Running Chicken Nebula are dark patches of gas and dust known as Bok globules, which withstand the energetic onslaught of young stars while the brighter material around them is dispersed.
With a span of approximately 720 light-years, the Running Chicken Nebula provides a stunning display of the ongoing process of star formation. While astronomers playfully wonder what motivations would drive a chicken to traverse such a vast nebula, the vastness of the universe reminds us of the extraordinary wonders that lie beyond our Earth.
Embark on a journey through space and discover breathtaking details of the Running Chicken Nebula on the European Southern Observatory’s website.
FAQ
What is a nebula?
A nebula is a region in space where gases and dust are present. They are formed as a result of stellar explosions, star collisions, and the processes of new star formation.
What are Bok globules?
Bok globules are dark patches within nebulae that consist of dense matter, usually gas and dust. They are difficult to penetrate by starlight and serve as potential sites for the formation of new stars.
Source:
ESO – https://www.eso.org
The source of the article is from the blog papodemusica.com