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A Dark Nebula
Where did all of the stars go? Actually nowhere; the "C"-shaped
dark patch you see in the image is a region of dense gas and dust within our
Galaxy made visible only because it is blocking starlight from more distant
stars. Dark nebulae are of interest to astronomers because the dense gas
they contain is the raw material for the formation of stars.
If ou look closely at the image you will notice there are a number of reddish
colored stars associated with the nebula. These stars are located behind he
nebula. Their distinct color arises because shorter wavelength bluish light
from the stars is more absorbed and scattered by the dust in thenebula,
allowing only longer wavelength near infrared light ot pass through the
nebula. This is essentially the same process that results in the reddish
color of the setting Sun.
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