My photo shows a bright nebula in the constellation Centaurus in the southern starry sky. With its characteristic shape, intertwined filaments, dark orbits and vivid colours, it is reminiscent of a running chicken. It consists mainly of hydrogen gas, which is ionised by the intense radiation from young, massive stars nearby. This ionisation process results in the emission of light at different wavelengths, creating the beautiful visual spectacle we can see from Earth. This nebula is part of the Carina Nebula Complex, one of the largest and most massive star-forming regions in our galaxy, about 6,500 to 10,000 light years from Earth.
Running Chicken – IC2944