Anatomy of the Orion Nebula – Imaging and imagining 3-D Gas Bodies

Anatomy of the Orion Nebula – Imaging and imagining 3-D Gas Bodies

It is easy to forget that our 2-D images are actually representations of 3-D gas bodies, that are acting according to 4-D dynamics. In day to day life, we have many clues that we can rely upon including parallax views, perspective rules, lights and shadows, and actual physical interaction that we can use to assess the nature of objects in 3-D and 3+1 space. Unfortunately many of these clues are absent or confusing in our deep space objects. In this post, we analyze a 2-D image of the Great Orion Nebula and stellar nursery including its shape and orientation in 3-D space. Along the way, we will present an understanding of the three principle gas types in deep space photography

Collapse of a Molecular Cloud in 3 waves

Collapse of a Molecular Cloud in 3 waves

The standard textbooks indicate that the start or conception of a new star formation is the collapse of a molecular cloud.  But my background in thermodynamics, heat/mass transfer and fluid mechanics leaves this superficial explanation ungratifying (at least to me?).  This pervasive theory has already be debunked in my description of spiral galactic structure, but what should replace it?  What would cause a molecular cloud or part of one to “collapse”.  I have presented here, three variations of the same view of the Bernard 169 (the loopy one on the right), and Bernard 174 (shaped like a foot on the far left) – both molecular clouds in the process of “collapsing”, or as I would rather put it – condensing – towards star conception.  Both B169 and 174 are dark nebulae that emit no light of their own, but rather block light from the background and reflect any starlight from stars in their proximity.  There are indications, even in this dark nebula, of new star formation – can you spot them?