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MrFuckingDinkles t1_iu4j4pg wrote

I see the Pillars of Creation are gearing up for Halloween

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Infinite-Scum t1_iu5llsc wrote

It genuinely makes me feel uneasy knowing how massive those “pillars” actually are.

We are so, so insignificant.

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frone t1_iu5lehs wrote

How big is this thing in the sky to us on Earth? If I hold up a 1mm by 1mm square object at arms length, does it completely cover it?

Also, where is it in relation to stars we commonly recognize?

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zeeblecroid t1_iu6zaxy wrote

To the naked eye the Pillars - and the whole Eagle Nebula - would be invisibly small. Think less "1mm square at arm's length" and more "1mm square at the other end of the street."

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PhoenixReborn t1_iu6ul2q wrote

It's towards the center of the Eagle Nebula which is in the tail of the constellation Serpens.

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Kind-Honeydew4900 t1_iu5hgu0 wrote

Are they actively photoshopping out the hexagonal lens flares? I feel like they have gotten less pronounced lately.

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meowcat93 OP t1_iu6t4pf wrote

It’s the mid-infrared instrument (MIRI), and stars are much less bright in those wavelengths

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[deleted] t1_iu69bgo wrote

[deleted]

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meowcat93 OP t1_iu6t5zi wrote

No it’s a different instrument from the previous version.

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WholeSilent8317 t1_iu7awmm wrote

this isn't always true. different instruments take photos at different wavelengths. only some photos need to be recolored to reflect reality. notice i said reality? the colors aren't "made up", it's how the object would appear to your human eye. they change the color because they take photos in different wavelengths, like infrared. it's like taking a photo of yourself in infrared then changing the colors to what you look like to the human eye

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WholeSilent8317 t1_iu7axhp wrote

this isn't always true. different instruments take photos at different wavelengths. only some photos need to be recolored to reflect reality. notice i said reality? the colors aren't "made up", it's how the object would appear to your human eye. they change the color because they take photos in different wavelengths, like infrared. it's like taking a photo of yourself in infrared then changing the colors to what you look like to the human eye

0