<p><strong>December 1, 2009--</strong>Stars sparkle against a rosy haze in a new closeup picture of the Iris nebula taken with the <a href="http://www.spacetelescope.org/index.html">Hubble Space Telescope</a>. <br><br> Although some nebulae are hot enough to generate their own light, cooler nebulae--including Iris--are visible because they scatter and reflect light from nearby stars. These so-called reflection nebulae usually appear blue, but an as yet unidentified chemical gives parts of the Iris nebula a reddish hue.</p>
Iris Nebula
December 1, 2009--Stars sparkle against a rosy haze in a new closeup picture of the Iris nebula taken with the Hubble Space Telescope.
Although some nebulae are hot enough to generate their own light, cooler nebulae--including Iris--are visible because they scatter and reflect light from nearby stars. These so-called reflection nebulae usually appear blue, but an as yet unidentified chemical gives parts of the Iris nebula a reddish hue.
Space: Rosy Haze, Black Hole Jet
A dusty nebula reflects an odd light, orbiting probes reveal forest decline, a black hole "zaps" a galaxy into existence, and more in the week's best space pictures.
