images

Around The Snake dark nebula in Ophiuchus

by

R.Gendler/J.Misti/ S.Mazlin/Novapix

Reference

a-neb90-72002

Date

2006-12-06

Barnard 72 (center) is the famous Snake dark nebula in Ophiuchus. It is a concentration of obscuring dust and dark matter in space that is opaque and doesn't let the stars behind show through it. Many of Barnard's dark nebulae are themselves likely sites of future star formation. Barnard 72 is a few light years across and about 650 light years away.