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> A large southern emission nebula, IC 2948

A large southern emission nebula, IC 2948

author: ESO/Novapix

reference: a-nec29-48005

Image Size 300 DPI: 72 * 65 cm

This image from the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope shows the Running Chicken Nebula, a cloud of gas and newborn stars that lies around 6500 light-years away from us in the constellation of Centaurus (The Centaur). Officially called IC 2944, or the Lambda Centauri Nebula, its strange nickname comes from the bird-like shape of its brightest region. The star Lambda Centauri itself lies just outside the field of view.

Keywords for this photo:

2011 - ASTRONOMY - BOK GLOBULE - CENTAURUS - EMISSION NEBULA - IC 2944 - IC 2948 - MPG/ESO 2.2m - NEBULA - POSTER - SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE - STAR - STAR FORMATION - YOUNG STAR -