Wikipedia:Featured picture candidates/Image:Sig07-006.jpg

Star formation in Orion

 * Reason:Star formation in the Orion constellation. This high quality image has scientific value and esthetic merit.
 * Caption:This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows infant stars "hatching" in the head of the hunter constellation, Orion. Astronomers suspect that shockwaves from a supernova explosion in Orion's head, nearly three million years ago, may have initiated this newfound birth.


 * The region featured in this Spitzer image is called Barnard 30. It is located approximately 1,300 light-years away and sits on the right side of Orion's head, just north of the massive star Lambda Orionis.


 * Wisps of red in the cloud are organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are formed anytime carbon-based materials are burned incompletely. On Earth, they can be found in the sooty exhaust from automobile and airplane engines. They also coat the grills where charcoal-broiled meats are cooked.


 * This image shows infrared light captured by Spitzer's infrared array camera. Light with wavelengths of 8 and 5.8 microns (red and orange) comes mainly from dust that has been heated by starlight. Light of 4.5 microns (green) shows hot gas and dust; and light of 3.6 microns (blue) is from starlight.


 * Articles this image appears in:Orion (constellation)
 * Creator:NASA Spitzer Space Telescope


 * Support as nominator Durova Charge! 17:55, 15 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Oppose. Some of the red parts are artifacted. --Malachirality (talk) 18:17, 15 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Support per nom--Mbz1 (talk) 22:20, 15 December 2007 (UTC)
 * There's a TIFF version (9MB) if anyone wants it to recompress this image. MER-C 02:28, 16 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Support per nom--  Sagredo Discussione? 03:50, 16 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Weak Oppose Minor artifact problems, should be cleaned up. -- Shark face  217  22:44, 16 December 2007 (UTC)
 * Weak Oppose: In my opinion it really looks unnatural. —αἰτίας •'discussion'• 17:28, 18 December 2007 (UTC)

MER-C 08:40, 22 December 2007 (UTC)