Astr110 Photography Projects, Fall 2004

NGC281, Pellagia Muliba

NGC 281 is a "workshop for star formation," found in the Cassiopeia constellation, is a dusty emission type nebula. Prominent within it are star clusters as well as clouds and globules.The red seen in the background of the above picture is the emission nebula, and within and amongst it are dense gas and dust lanes from in which stars may still be forming. A multiple-star system shining light is what helps ionise the the gas within the nebula and therefore causing the red glow of the nebula. The whole system of the NGC281 has a diameter of 10 thousand light years.

As mentioned above the NGC 281 is a star cluster that "homes" star clusters such as IC 1590. The red that is seen in the background is a thin but widespread agglomeration of gas and dust. The reason for the red colour comes from the hot stars that emit high energy radiation and therefore cause the gas of the nebula, made mostly of hydrogen, to shine, and henceforth the name emission nebula.

References:
David Malin, http://ww.antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap980921.html

http://seds.org/messier/nebula.html