A nebula (plural: nebulae) is a vast, interstellar cloud of dust and gases—primarily hydrogen and helium. These clouds are the "building blocks" of the cosmos, serving as both the graveyards where stars die and the nurseries where new stars are born.
Types of Nebulae
Nebulae are classified based on how they interact with light and how they were formed:
Emission Nebulae: These are high-temperature clouds that glow with their own light. Nearby hot stars ionize the gas, causing it to emit colorful light—often red from hydrogen.
Example: The Orion Nebula.
Reflection Nebulae: These don’t emit their own light. Instead, they reflect the light of nearby stars. They often appear blue because blue light scatters more easily than red.
Example: The dust surrounding the Pleiades star cluster.
Dark Nebulae: These clouds are so dense that they block out the light from stars or other nebulae behind them. They appear as black patches against the starry background.
Example: The Horsehead Nebula.
Planetary Nebulae: Despite the name, these have nothing to do with planets. They are shells of gas thrown off by a dying star (like a red giant) as it transitions into a white dwarf.
Example: The Ring Nebula.
Supernova Remnants: These are created when a massive star explodes in a supernova, scattering debris across space at high speeds.
Example: The Crab Nebula.
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