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CHRS: LATIN-1 2
                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2024 December 24
        A starfield filled with colorful gas and dark dust features a
   cone-shaped nebula near the image top and nebular structure reminiscent
     of the fur of a fox near the middle. A wide area of light emission
   resembles the shape of a Christmas tree. Please see the explanation for
                         more detailed information.

                      Fox Fur, Cone, and Christmas Tree
                     Image Credit & Copyright: Tim White

   Explanation: What do the following things have in common: a cone, the
   fur of a fox, and a Christmas tree? Answer: they all occur in the
   constellation of the Unicorn (Monoceros). Considered as a star forming
   region and cataloged as NGC 2264, the complex jumble of cosmic gas and
   dust is about 2,700 light-years distant and mixes reddish emission
   nebulae excited by energetic light from newborn stars with dark
   interstellar dust clouds. The featured image spans an angle larger than
   a full moon, covering over 50 light-years at the distance of NGC 2264.
   Its cast of cosmic characters includes the Fox Fur Nebula, whose
   convoluted pelt lies just to the left of the image center, bright
   variable star S Mon visible just to the right of the Fox Fur, and the
   Cone Nebula near the image top. With the Cone Nebula at the peak, the
   shape of the general glow of the region give it the nickname of the
   Christmas Tree Cluster, where stars are tree ornaments.

                Explore Your Universe: Random APOD Generator
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