The Worlds Beyond - Nebula

" What are Nebula "

A nebula is a cloud of gas and dust in outer space.These clouds are often very large,spanning across many light years.They are considered to be the birthplaces of stars.

There are many different kinds of nebula in the sky.A red or pink nebula is called an emission nebula,and it glows,because it is getting rid of the extra energy given to it by near by stars.A blue nebula is called a Reflection nebula.It scatters the blue light from nearby stars,while the rest of the colours are allowed to pass through the cloud undisturbed.Eventually,the blue light escapes the cloud and travels to our eyes.

Another one is called a planetary nebula,but it actually has nothing to do with the planets.Planetary nebulae are formed when a dying sun-sized star begins to shed its outer layers.As the star shrinks,much of its surface layers will be shed,leaving behind a beautiful ring.This ring is only visible for about 50,000 years.

Image of Nebula

" Most Distant Galaxy "

The most distant galaxy from the Earth is about 13 billion light years away.Because of the firestorm of star birth within it,the galaxy is one of the brightest young galaxies in the universe,blazing with the brilliance of more than 10 times that of the Milky Way.The most distant object that you can see with your own eyes is the Andromeda galaxy,which is about 2.2 million light years away from us.

" Magellanic Clouds "

The Magellanic Clouds are one of our nearest neighbours in the Universe.They are three irregularly shaped galaxies that lie some from 150,000 to 200,000 light years from Earth.They are visible from the Southern Hemisphere,and appear to it naked eye as two separate patches of light-the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds.

Also Watch special video on Crab Nebula.