Image Credit & Copyright: Kfir SimonExplanation: Fantastic shapes lurk in clouds of glowing hydrogen gas in NGC 6188, about 4,000 light-years away. The
emission nebula is found near the edge of a large molecular cloud unseen at visible wavelengths, in the southern
constellation Ara. Massive, young
stars ofthe embedded Ara
OB1 association were formed in that region only a few million years ago,
sculpting the dark shapes and powering the nebular glow with stellar winds and intense ultraviolet radiation. The recent
star formation itself was likely triggered by winds and supernova explosions, from previous generations of massive stars, that swept up and compressed the molecular gas. Joining NGC 6188 on
this cosmic canvas is rare emission nebula
NGC 6164, also created by one of the region’s massive O-type stars. Similar in appearance to many
planetary nebulae, NGC 6164’s striking, symmetric gaseous shroud and faint halo surround its bright central star at the lower right. The field of view spans about two full Moons, corresponding to 70 light years at the estimated distance
of NGC 6188.