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A Witch by Starlight

A Witch by Starlight

Credit & copyright: Credit & Copyright: Star Shadows Remote Observatory (Steve Mazlin, Jack Harvey, Rick Gilbert, Teri Smoot, Daniel Verschatse)

By starlight this eerie visage shines in the dark, a crooked profile evoking its popular name, the Witch Head Nebula . In fact, this entrancing telescopic portrait gives the impression the witch has fixed her gaze on Orion's bright supergiant star Rigel . Spanning over 50 light-years, the dusty cosmic cloud strongly reflects nearby Rigel's blue light, giving it the characteristic color of a reflection nebula . Cataloged as IC 2118, the Witch Head Nebula is about 1,000 light-years away. Of course , you might see a witch this scary tonight , but don't panic. Have a safe and Happy Halloween! Take a survey on Aesthetics and Astronomy.

View the original NASA APOD

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