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NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

🌌 NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day

Dark Bok Globules in IC 2944

Date: 1996-12-29

Dark Bok Globules in IC 2944

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Explanation:

The dark spots in the above picture are not
photographic defects but an unusual type of interstellar cloud known as a Bok globule.
Bok globules, named after astronomer Bart Bok
who studied them extensively, are small dark clouds made of gas
and dust that are typically
condensing to form a star or stars.
These Bok globules
are found in front of a glowing H II
region known as IC 2944.