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CHAMÄLEON + ONJALA OBSERVATORY DeepSky | SITEMAP HOME CHAMÄLEON |
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| « back to overview Nebula | Load higher resolution (1800 x 1200 Pixel 3500 x 2100 Pixel) | Object description |
Our image shows a 2-part mosaic of some large dark clouds in the constellation Ophiuchus together with the planet Jupiter. Image orientation: north at the top and east at the left. Slightly left of the image center is Barnard 72, the Snake Nebula.
In the Serpens lie numerous, large dark clouds, which were first catalogued photographically by the American astronomer Edward Emerson Barnard. The complete catalog of over 300 dark clouds by Barnard can be found at this URL. Barnard was self-taught and one of the pioneers of astrophotography. In more recent times, detailed studies by K. Dobashi in infrared light followed.
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Dark
clouds or dark nebulae are large collections of interstellar matter that either
absorb the light of stars behind them (e.g. the Coal Sack) or cover parts of
H-II regions or reflection nebulae (e.g. Barnard 33, the Horsehead Nebula in
the constellation Orion). The shape of such dark clouds is usually irregular
and without clearly defined outer boundaries. Many of the dark clouds have
proper names, such as the Snake Nebula or the Pipe Nebula.
« Click here or the thumbnail to load a large annoted image and a size comparison to the full moon. |
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