Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2024 December 24
      [2]A starfield filled with colorful gas and dark dust features a
   cone-shaped nebula near the image top and nebular structure reminiscent
     of the fur of a fox near the middle. A wide area of light emission
   resembles the shape of a Christmas tree. Please see the explanation for
                         more detailed information.

                      Fox Fur, Cone, and Christmas Tree
                   Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Tim White

   Explanation: What do the following things have in common: a cone, the
   fur of a fox, and a Christmas tree? Answer: they all occur in the
   constellation of the Unicorn ([4]Monoceros). Considered as a star
   forming region and [5]cataloged as NGC 2264, the complex jumble of
   cosmic gas and dust is about 2,700 light-years distant and mixes
   reddish [6]emission nebulae excited by energetic light from newborn
   stars [7]with dark interstellar dust clouds. The [8]featured image
   spans an angle larger than a [9]full moon, covering over 50
   [10]light-years at the distance of NGC 2264. Its cast of cosmic
   characters includes the [11]Fox Fur Nebula, whose convoluted pelt lies
   just to the left of the image center, bright [12]variable star [13]S
   Mon visible just to the right of the Fox Fur, and the [14]Cone Nebula
   near the image top. With the [15]Cone Nebula at the [16]peak, the shape
   of the general glow of the region give it the nickname of the
   [17]Christmas Tree Cluster, where stars are tree ornaments.

              Explore Your Universe: [18]Random APOD Generator
                         Tomorrow's picture: sky eye
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    Authors & editors: [30]Robert Nemiroff ([31]MTU) & [32]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([33]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [34]Specific rights apply.
            [35]NASA Web Privacy, [36]Accessibility, [37]Notices;
                A service of: [38]ASD at [39]NASA / [40]GSFC,
                         [41]NASA Science Activation
                           & [42]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2412/ConeTree_White_2154.jpg
   3. https://www.astrobin.com/users/TimWhiteAstro/
   4. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monoceros
   5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NGC_2264
   6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emission_nebula
   7. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap080508.html
   8. https://www.astrobin.com/ge7kmz/
   9. https://science.nasa.gov/resource/phases-of-the-moon-2/
  10. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/light-year/
  11. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap151230.html
  12. https://youtu.be/sXJBrRmHPj8
  13. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S_Monocerotis
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240204.html
  15. https://esahubble.org/videos/astro_w/
  16. https://www.reddit.com/r/Awww/comments/18bhfv3/always_an_angel_on_top_of_the_christmas_tree/#lightbox
  17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_tree
  18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/random_apod.html
  19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241223.html
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  23. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  25. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  26. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  28. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=241224
  29. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241225.html
  30. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  32. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  33. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  34. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  35. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  36. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  37. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  38. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  39. https://www.nasa.gov/
  40. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  41. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  42. http://www.mtu.edu/