Nebulas' size ranges from millions of miles to hundreds of light-years in diameter. Keep reading for more interesting facts perfect for kids.
Originally, the word “nebula” referred to almost any extended astronomical object (other than planets and comets). The etymological root of “nebula” means “cloud”. As is usual in astronomy, the old terminology survives in modern usage in sometimes confusing ways. We sometimes use the word “nebula” to refer to galaxies, various types of star clusters and various kinds of ...
Corona Australis Nebula The Corona Australis Nebula is a bright reflection nebula, located at around 420 light-years away from us. This nebula is formed by several bright stars that are caught up in a dark cloud of dust, and this cloud is also a star-forming region, with clusters of young stars embedded within it.
The California Nebula The California Nebula, designated as NGC 1499, is an emission nebula located at around 1,000 light-years away from us. It has an apparent magnitude of 6.0. The star Menkhib / Xi Persei makes the California Nebula fluorescent, due to its energy.
Here is a brief outline of the current theory of the events in the early history of the solar system: A cloud of interstellar gas and/or dust (the “solar nebula”) is disturbed and collapses under its own gravity. The disturbance could be, for example, the shock wave from a nearby supernova. As the cloud collapses, it heats up and compresses in the center. It heats enough for the dust to ...