Astr112 Photography Projects, Fall 2007

NGC 1579, Kaitlin Swierenga

NGC 1579, also known as the Northern Trifid Nebula, is found in the constellation Perseus.This nebula is often compared to the Trifid nebula because of their similarity of dark dust existence and having a reddish glow. It is mainly an emission nebula, but there is some reflection on the outer parts of the nebula. An emission nebula is hydrogen gas that that is mostly ionized. The nebula glows a faint red due to the hot stars that occupy it. NGC 1579 is 1200 light years away.

The brighter portions of this image are emission of hydrogen gas. The HII regions illuminate a reddish tint which is provided by a central hot star.The dark part of the nebula is dark dust that obscures the visible light and blocks most of it. The linear size of NGC 1579 is two and a half light years vertically and a half light year across.

References:
Robert, Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell. "NGC 1579: Trifid of the North." Astronomy Picture of the Day. http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap060525.html

Freeman, Roger and William Kaufmann. Stars and Galaxies: Universe.New York: Freeman and Company, 2007.