Starship Asterisk*

Is it known whether the matter on the outer fringes of this event will collapse back into the star factory or does it become part of the dark matter mix?

BMAONE23,

Thank you for the kind sentiment! I do look forward to these chats and exploring the incredible images in the APOD archive!

The Star Factory Messier 17 image has inspired me to try and capture the imagining that I gained from this discovery in a painting. I have been thinking about it and I can also imagine that the symbolic image of the heroic bearded man or long haired woman would be looking back over their shoulder at the lost who did not make it into the 'narrow gate' of Heaven. Maybe there is another APOD image that inspires imaginings of Gehenna and eternal death.

EMC,
Actually you've discovered a treasure trove that is unequaled by anything man can create. Have fun surveying them all and try the search tool at the top of APOD you will like the results you see.

And Welcome to [u][i][b]THE[/b][/i][/u] board

[quote="orin stepanek"]Most APOD images make cool desktop items. There are so many of them that I change them often.
Orin[/quote]
Thank you for the reassurance that this is OK to do. I am out of my element to even be posting here and very much appreciate the positive feedback I have been receiving! I have learned that I share a love (with a lot of other folks) for the images discovered on this site.

The Helix Nebula was my favorite... right now this one is. I am confident I will find more! I see the images go back to 1995... kinda feel like I have been living in a vacuum! :)

I was trying to figure out exactly what we're looking at here. As I understand it, this is a big dark cloud of dust and gas, but the bright area is where the walls of the clouds have been eroded away by the solar winds from within, showing us the core of the insides of the factory.

In that case, this nebula is impressively huge. I don't see a transition in the dark regions to clear space, so I'm led to believe all those individual stars we see in the picture are between us and the nebula, and that this nebula will give rise to hundreds or thousands of new stars.

Any thoughts or knowledge/links to the contrary?

[quote="emc"][quote="orin stepanek"]

You can click in the picture and get a large format![/quote]

That is cool... I see I can right click and save the image... is this OK to put on my desktop for a while?[/quote]

Most APOD images make cool desktop items. There are so many of them that I change them often.
Orin

[quote="jimmysnyder"][quote="emc"]is this OK to put on my desktop for a while?[/quote]
You had better ask your boss first. After all it is one of the messier objects in the sky.[/quote]

Is that messier as in messy (er)...

I don't know... it has to compete with http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap070806.html for messy looking! :)

[quote="emc"]is this OK to put on my desktop for a while?[/quote]
You had better ask your boss first. After all it is one of the messier objects in the sky.

[quote="emc"]Have you ever looked up at those puffy white clouds in the earth sky and imagined you can see little bunnies, galloping horses, sailing ships, etc. ???[/quote]

I have been looking at this image and I haven’t seen any little bunnies yet… but I do see either a long haired woman or a bearded man (head at top near center) looking over his/her wind blown left shoulder. If I follow the clouds from her/his left shoulder I see their left arm extending toward slightly right of center holding another man’s head with a gaping mouth and bright orange hair.

What this symbolizes for me is mankind's (and womankind’s) triumph over Satan as he/she enters ‘Heaven’s Gate’ (the bright blue portal). Note the right arm is already in the portal!!! I also see symbolism in the three foreground stars to the left of the cloud one positioned near the top and two lower positioned others at left center. I believe in God and I hope that does not offend you. Among everything else He does, I believe He is an absolutely awesome artist and that He sometimes uses people to help paint His pictures... Neat color choices!!!

I am not saying that this is what the image represents. I know this is pretty far out but I mean no harm, I do have a vivid imagination. Not only do I go out on a limb (but as I have signed)… I [i]leave[/i] the tree. :)

[quote="orin stepanek"]

You can click in the picture and get a large format![/quote]

That is cool... I see I can right click and save the image... is this OK to put on my desktop for a while?

http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070810.html

You can click in the picture and get a large format!
Orin

Have you ever looked up at those puffy white clouds in the earth sky and imagined you can see little bunnies, galloping horses, sailing ships, etc. ??? This is more better!

Beautiful image, wish it were a bit larger format though.