Explanation: The Pelican Nebula is slowly being transformed. IC 5070 (an official designation) is divided from the larger┬аNorth America Nebula┬аby a┬аmolecular cloud┬аfilled with dark┬аdust. The deep┬аfeatured picture from┬аUtah,┬аUSA┬аincorporates 25 hours of exposure and brings out great details of this┬аfilamentary dust. The┬аPelican┬аNebula receives much study because it is a particularly active mix of┬аstar┬аformation and evolving gas clouds. The light from young energetic stars is slowly transforming the cold gas to hot gas, with the┬аadvancing boundary┬аbetween the two, known as an┬аionization front, visible in bright orange on the upper right. Particularly dense┬аtentacles┬аof cold gas remain. Millions of years from now, the┬аPelican┬аNebula, bounded by dark nebula┬аLDN 935, might no longer be known as the Pelican, as the┬аbalance and placement of stars and gas┬аwill surely leave something that appears┬аcompletely different.
APOD’s main site is moving: From apod.nasa.gov to science.nasa.gov/apod
Tomorrow’s picture:┬аgeometric Saturn
