The “Battle Dragons of Ara” is a nebula in a vast molecular cloud.
From a cat paw print to a space tadpole, humans love recognizing animal shapes in the starry sky, but the 'Fighting Ara' dragon may be one of the most striking species. Astronomers using the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) in Chile have released a mesmerizing new image that evokes a mythical battle between two celestial creatures.
This stunning image appears to show two dragon heads emerging from thick clouds of cosmic dust, seemingly locked in an eternal standoff. Their glowing, writhing forms are shaped by powerful stellar winds emanating from bright young stars that were created within the nebula, most of which are only a few million years old.
The fascinating shapes formed by the interaction of radiation and dust are officially called NGC 6188. It is an emission nebula, which NASA says forms when intense radiation from stars excites gas, causing it to glow. It is located in the lesser-known constellation Ara and is only visible from the Southern Hemisphere, located just below the tail of Scorpius. NGC 6188 is located near the edge of a massive molecular cloud where star formation is taking place.
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Sourse: www.livescience.com
