December 28, 2001
The elements that make you — the calcium in your bones, the oxygen in your lungs — were scattered across space by dying stars long before...
Starlight Reflections
Birthday · December 28, 2001
A little universe, just for you
Your date.
Ready to give.
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APOD published December 28, 2001. Credit: Robert Gendler. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
Interstellar dust grains often find themselves in a reflective "mood". Near a bright star, clouds of these dust particles scatter short wavelengths of visible starlight more readily than long wavelengths, producing lovely blue reflection nebulae. Nine of the more spectacular examples of these dusty, blue stellar neighborhoods have been assembled here by astrophotographer Rob Gendler. From left to right starting with the top row are NGC 1977 in Orion, IC2118 (the Witch Head), and M78 also in Orion. Across the middle row are, M20 (Trifid), NGC 2264 in Monoceros, and IC405 (Flaming Star Nebula). Along the bottom are NGC 2023 (near the Horsehead), NGC 7023 (Iris Nebula), and finally bright star Merope surrounded by a veil of dust (NGC 1435). Merope is one of the seven sisters of the Pleiades.
Image credit: Robert Gendler