Interstellar Medium Collection (#6)

Open clusters Messier 35 and NGC 2158 in the constellation Gemini

The Jellyfish Nebula and associated nebulosity
The Jellyfish Nebula (IC 443), a supernova remnant in the constellation Gemini, and associated nebulosity such as IC 444 and LDN 1565, plus the Messier open cluster Messier 35 at right

The central region of the Lagoon Nebula, which is also known as Messier 8, in the constellation of Sagittarius

M57, The Ring Nebula. The inner shell glows green from ionized oxygen and nitrogen while hydrogen in the outer shell glows red

The Galactic Center of the Milky Way Galaxy

The Lagoon Nebula and Trifid Nebula
M8, the Lagoon Nebula and Messier 20, the Trifid Nebula

NASAs two Voyager spacecraft exploring a turbulent region of space
This artists concept shows NASAs two Voyager spacecraft exploring a turbulent region of space known as the heliosheath, the outer shell of the bubble of charged particles around our sun

Diagram of Energetic Neutral Atoms from a region outside Earths magnetopause
NASAs Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) found that Energetic Neutral Atoms, or ENAs, are coming from a region just outside Earths magnetopause where nearly stationary protons from the solar wind

Stars, nebulae and dust clouds around the center of the Milky Way

The Pleiades Star Cluster (M45) is located in the constellation of Taurus

M42, The Orion Nebula

The Lagoon Nebula and Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius constellation

This panoramic view encompasses the entire sky as seen by Two Micron All-Sky Survey. The measured brightnesses of half a billion stars (points)

The Elephant Trunk Nebula, also known as IC 1396A, is a concentration of interstellar gas and dust in the IC 1396 star cluster and ionized gas region located in the Cepheus constellation

NGC 3293, the Gem Cluster and Gabriela Mistral Nebula
NGC 3324 and 3293 are sparkling star clusters at the northwest corner of the Carina Nebula. NGC3293 is a small but very bright open cluster, called the Gem Cluster

NGC 6946, a spiral galaxy in Cepheus

M20, The Trifid Nebula in Sagittarius

The Heart and Soul Nebula
IC 1805 and IC 1848 Nebula, also known as the Heart and Soul Nebula

The Lobster Nebula in Scorpius
NGC 6357, the Lobster Nebula in Scorpius

IC 59 and IC 63 in Cassiopeia

Mosaic of the southern Milky Way from Orion to Vela
Mosaic of the southern Milky Way from Orion (right) to Vela (left) taking in Carina and Crux (center)

Narrowband image of Thackerays Globules and IC 2944, also known as the Running Chicken Nebula

The Ghost Nebula, vdB 141 in the constellation Cepheus
The Ghost Nebula, vdB 141, is a reflection nebula and isolated bok globule in the constellation Cepheus. Also Known as Sh2-136

Clusters of young stars in the North American Nebula
This swirling landscape of stars is known as the North America Nebula. In visible light, the region resembles North America, but in this infrared view, the continent disappears

The Eagle Nebula in the constellation Serpens
M16, the Eagle Nebula in the constellation Serpens

The Bubble Nebula, an emission nebula in Cassiopeia
The Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) is a H II region emission nebula in the constellation Cassiopeia

IC 2944, a large H II region in the constellation of Centaurus
IC 2944, a large H II region (star forming cloud) in the southern constellation of Centaurus. The bright blue star near the center is Lambda Centauri

IC 1805 in Cassiopeia

Cassiopeia A, NuSTAR X-ray image C016 / 9727
Cassiopeia A, NuSTAR X-ray image. This object is a supernova remnant, the expanding shell from a massive star that exploded as a supernova some 11, 000 years ago

Bussard ramjet spacecraft, artwork

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The interstellar medium, a vast expanse of gas and dust that fills the space between stars, is a captivating realm that holds countless wonders. In the heart of Serpens lies M16, better known as The Eagle Nebula, where towering pillars of gas and dust stretch towards the heavens like celestial skyscrapers. Within these majestic structures, new stars are born, their brilliant light illuminating the surrounding cosmos. Venturing further into the depths of space, we encounter IC 2177 - The Seagull Nebula. Here, ethereal clouds dance in cosmic harmony as they give birth to yet more stellar marvels, and is within this nebula that Voyager 1 spacecraft made history by crossing into interstellar space, becoming humanity's first emissary to venture beyond our solar system. But it is not only grandeur and birth that awaits us in this enigmatic domain; destruction also has its place. The Vela supernova remnant at the center of Gum Nebula serves as a haunting reminder of cataclysmic events that shape our universe. Its remnants tell tales of ancient explosions and violent forces unleashed upon unsuspecting celestial bodies. As we journey through this cosmic tapestry, we come across breathtaking sights such as NGC 6523 - The Lagoon Nebula - with its vibrant hues painting an otherworldly canvas against the backdrop of darkness. Nearby lies The Fox Fur Nebula; its wispy tendrils resembling an artist's brushstrokes on a galactic masterpiece. In regions like Tarantula Nebula star formation takes center stage – a spectacular display where massive clouds collapse under gravity's embrace to form new suns amidst swirling gases and glowing embers. And then there are phenomena like Zeta Ophiuchi bow shock – an infrared image capturing the moment when fast-moving star Zeta Ophiuchi creates ripples in interstellar material around it akin to waves crashing on distant shores.