January 13, 2010
If the universe seems cold from a distance, birthdays are part of its rebuttal.
The Spider and The Fly
Birthday · January 13, 2010
A little universe, just for you
Your date.
Ready to give.
Free PNG · 1080 × 1350 · No account needed
Image rights and credit requirements apply when sharing or reusing imagery.
Date & occasion only
Change the year
APOD published January 13, 2010. Credit: Troy Tsounis. A publication-date match, not a photo taken on your date. Independent of NASA.
Bright clusters and nebulae abound in the ancient northern constellation of Auriga. The region includes the open star cluster M38, emission nebula IC 410 with Tadpoles, Auriga's own Flaming Star Nebula IC 405, and this interesting pair IC 417 (lower left) and NGC 1931. An imaginative eye toward the expansive IC 417 and diminutive NGC 1931 suggests a cosmic spider and fly. About 10,000 light-years distant, both represent young, open star clusters formed in interstellar clouds and still embedded in glowing hydrogen gas. For scale, the more compact NGC 1931 is about 10 light-years across. Note: An APOD editor will review great space images on Thursday, January 14, in Houghton, Michigan.
Image credit: Troy Tsounis