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Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex by Randal Healey

PHOTOGRAPH #234 · nebulae

Rho Ophiuchi Cloud Complex

Processing by Randal Healey · See source for original credits

Thought I would try processing an area of our universe I have always thought was extremely beautiful. Thanks to BjoernH for the excellent public data pool data.

The Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex is a dark nebula of gas and dust that is located 1° south of the star ρ Ophiuchi of the constellation Ophiuchus. At an estimated distance of 131 ± 3 parsecs, this cloud is one of the closest star-forming regions to the Solar System. This cloud covers an angular area of 4.5° × 6.5° on the celestial sphere. It consists of two major regions of dense gas and dust. The first contains a star-forming cloud (L1688) and two filaments (L1709 and L1755), while the second has a star-forming region (L1689) and a filament (L1712–L1729). These filaments extend up to 10–17.5 parsecs in length and can be as narrow as 0.24 parsecs in width. Some of the structures within the complex appear to be the result of a shock front passing through the clouds from the direction of the neighboring Sco OB2 association.
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