Photo # 1 (Sept. 2010)

PELICAN NEBULA CLOSE-UP

She: "Aren't the stars beautiful tonight?"

He: "Yeah, but sarge says, 'You've seen one star, you've seen them all.' "

She: "He's so wrong. You see one star and you want to see a billion more."

                                - Beatle Bailey

Credit & Copyright: Tony Hallas

 The prominent ridge of emission featured in this vivid skyscape is designated IC 5067. Part of a larger emission nebula with a distinctive shape, popularly called The Pelican Nebula, the ridge spans about 10 light-years and follows the curve of the cosmic pelican's head and neck (bottom center). Fantastic, dark shapes inhabiting the view are clouds of cool gas and dust sculpted by energetic radiation from hot, massive stars. But stars are also forming within the dark shapes. In fact, twin jets emerging from the tip of the central, dark tendril are the telltale signs of an embedded protostar cataloged as Herbig-Haro 555. The Pelican Nebula itself, also known as IC 5070, is about 2,000 light-years away. To find it, look northeast of bright star Deneb in the high flying constellation Cygnus.

It is difficult to begin to absorb the immenseness of the cosmos. Seeing the stars at night, and the telescopic images on these pages, never ceases to give me a thrill - and to help me be aware of being a tiny part in a vast consciousness that extends waaaaayyy beyond my everyday concerns. Thse also help me remember that I am a part of a collective consciousness to which I cointribute and from which I draw inspiration...

                                                 - Dan Benor, MD