This week I chose the picture of the day on September 19, 2010 on the "Dark Clouds of the Carina Nebula". This picture shows the molecular clouds in the Carina Nebula. The clouds look like smoke and floating phantoms. The high contrast of the light and colors add to the eerie feel of the picture. The clouds are actually formed by the molecular dust and gases in space. The shapes of the clouds are actually influenced by the other stars in the nebula. The energetic light and winds that the nearby stars give off eat away at the clouds and that is what gives them their shapes. If they are left alone long enough they can form into stars or planets.
They tend to form stars or planets because of their low temperatures and high density. They also have their own gravitational force, and when it's force to collapse the cloud is greater than the outward force pushing to prevent it, a star can be formed.
I found this very interesting because the picture looked great itself, and I never knew where stars came from and how they were made. It was very interesting to read about the molecular clouds and how they were involved in forming the stars. I also liked the idea that the clouds could be sculpted into different shapes by the light and winds from other stars. It really does make the universe seem like a work of art.
No comments:
Post a Comment