NGC 2174 facts for kids
NGC 2174 is a giant cloud of gas and dust far out in space. It is also known as the Monkey Head Nebula because of its shape. This amazing space cloud is found in the constellation of Orion. It is about 6,400 light-years away from Earth. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year, which is a very long way!
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What is the Monkey Head Nebula?
The Monkey Head Nebula is a special type of space cloud called an emission nebula. This means it glows brightly because the gas inside it is heated up by nearby hot, young stars. These stars give off a lot of energy, making the gas glow like a neon sign.
Where is NGC 2174 located?
This nebula is found in the constellation of Orion. A constellation is a group of stars that form a pattern in the night sky. Orion is one of the most famous constellations. It looks like a hunter. The Monkey Head Nebula is part of a much larger area where new stars are being born.
How far away is this nebula?
NGC 2174 is about 6,400 light-years from Earth. To give you an idea, if you could travel at the speed of light, it would still take you 6,400 years to reach it! This shows how incredibly vast space is.
What happens inside the nebula?
Nebulae like the Monkey Head Nebula are often called "star factories." This is because they are places where new stars are born. Inside the nebula, gravity pulls together clumps of gas and dust. As these clumps get bigger and denser, they heat up. Eventually, they become hot enough to start glowing, and a new star is born!
Why does it look like a monkey's head?
The unique shape of the Monkey Head Nebula comes from the strong winds and radiation from the very hot, young stars forming inside it. These powerful forces carve out the gas and dust, creating the interesting shapes we see. Different parts of the nebula glow in different colors depending on the gases present and how they are energized.
Images for kids
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24th anniversary image – 2014 – A set of Infrared images of Monkey Head Nebula incl. NGC 2174 and Sharpless Sh2-252
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Infrared image of NGC 2174 as viewed by the Spitzer Space Telescope
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Monkey Head Nebula in hydrogen alpha focal length 384mm
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Monkey Head Nebula in bi-color with a 384mm telescope
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Monkeyhead nebula taken with a 140mm refractor by amateur astronomer Mark Johnston
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NGC 2174 (Monkey Head Nebula) in SHO palette by W4SM, 17" PlaneWave CDK scope, Louisa, VA
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See also
In Spanish: NGC 2174 para niños
