APOD: 2026 May 20 – The Dark Wolf Nebula
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Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2026 May 20
The Dark Wolf Nebula
Image Credit & Copyright:
William Vrbasso
Text:
Keighley Rockcliffe
(NASA
GSFC,
UMBC CSST,
CRESST II)
Explanation:
A dark wolf lies in gum. No, this isn’t a riddle!
Today’s image
features
the Dark Wolf Nebula
(Sandqvist–Lindroos 17),
a spooky dust cloud embedded within the
Gum 55
(RCW 113) Nebula in
the Scorpius constellation.
While
dust
is a pest to us, it serves a vital role in creating the necessary conditions for
stars to be born.
The Dark Wolf absorbs the intense
ultraviolet and
visible
light emitted by young stars in Gum 55 and re-emits it at longer, mainly
infrared,
wavelengths. This prevents the higher energy light from heating up the gas in the region. When a region of gas
is cool enough, gravity takes over and causes the gas to collapse into a star. Not only does
dust
act as an interstellar thermostat, but it is also
the meet-cute
for single hydrogen atoms forming molecular hydrogen, the building block for stars.
The seemingly sinister Dark Wolf is actually a harbinger of cosmic life.
Tomorrow’s picture: write
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Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
NASA Official: Amber Straughn
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