Pelican nebula facts for kids
The Pelican Nebula is a giant cloud of gas and dust in space. It's also known by its science names, IC 5067 or IC 5070. This amazing cloud is a special type called an H II region. It's found in the Cygnus constellation, which looks like a swan flying across the night sky. The Pelican Nebula is super far away, about 1,800 light-years from our Earth. That's how far light travels in 1,800 years!
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What is a Nebula?
A nebula is like a huge cloud in space. These clouds are made of gas, mostly hydrogen and helium, and tiny bits of dust. Nebulae are often where new stars are born, or they can be the leftover parts of old stars that have exploded. The Pelican Nebula is a "star-forming region," meaning new stars are being created inside it right now!
Why is it called the Pelican Nebula?
If you look closely at pictures of this nebula, you might see why it got its name! Its shape looks a lot like a pelican bird. You can see the "body" and the "head" of the pelican, with a long "beak" that seems to be pointing away. This unique shape is formed by strong winds and radiation from very hot, young stars inside the nebula.
Where is the Pelican Nebula located?
The Pelican Nebula is found in the Cygnus constellation, also known as the Swan. This constellation is easy to spot in the northern sky during summer and autumn. The Pelican Nebula is actually very close to another famous nebula called the North America Nebula. They are so close that they are often seen together in wide-field images of the sky.
What is an H II Region?
The Pelican Nebula is an H II region. This means it's a cloud of hydrogen gas that has been ionized. When hydrogen gas is "ionized," it means its atoms have lost their electrons. This happens because of the super strong ultraviolet light coming from very hot, young, massive stars that have recently formed inside the nebula. When the hydrogen atoms lose their electrons, they glow brightly, which is why we can see these nebulae. This glowing gas is a sign that new stars are actively forming there.
How do we study the Pelican Nebula?
Scientists use powerful telescopes to study the Pelican Nebula. They don't just look at it with regular light (what our eyes can see). They also use special cameras that can see different types of light, like infrared light or radio waves. Looking at the nebula in different ways helps astronomers learn more about the gas, dust, and young stars hidden inside. It helps them understand how stars are born and how they change the space around them.
Images for kids
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Pelican Nebula (IC5070) taken from Leeds UK by amateur astro-photographer urmymuse
See also
In Spanish: Nebulosa Pelícano para niños
