The Rosette Nebula: a cosmic flower blooming with new stars
Resembling a cosmic flower, the Rosette Nebula glows red from ionized hydrogen, energized by young stars that also sculpt its shape and trigger new star formation.
The Rosette Nebula, a stunning cosmic cloud 5,200 light-years away, truly looks like a flower blooming in space. This vast nebula, spanning 130 light-years, glows red because intense ultraviolet light from hot, young stars within it ionizes hydrogen gas. These massive stars strip electrons from hydrogen atoms, causing them to emit a characteristic red light when they recombine.
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