Astronomy Picture of the Day 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 
Fox Fur, Cone, and Christmas Tree Image Credit & Copyright: 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(Monoceros). Considered as a star forming regionand cataloged as NGC 2264, the complex jumble ofcosmic gas and dust is about 2,700 light-years distant andmixes reddish emission nebulaeexcited by energetic light fromnewborn stars with darkinterstellar dust clouds.The featured image spans an angle larger than a full moon, covering over 50 light-years at the distance of NGC 2264.Its cast of cosmic characters includesthe Fox Fur Nebula, whoseconvoluted pelt lies just to the left of the image center, bright variable star S Mon visible just to the right of the Fox Fur, and theCone Nebula near the image top. With the Cone Nebula at the peak, the shape of the general glow of the region give it the nickname of the Christmas Tree Cluster, where stars are tree ornaments. Explore Your Universe: Random APOD Generator Tomorrow's picture: sky eye <| Archive| Submissions | Index| Search| Calendar| RSS| Education| About APOD| Discuss| > Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff(MTU) &Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)NASA Official: Amber StraughnSpecific rights apply.NASA Web Privacy,Accessibility, Notices; A service of:ASD atNASA /GSFC, NASA Science Activation& Michigan Tech. U.
