Diana Battefeld, The Witch, 2015 [Oil on Canvas] -

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! A Witch is Unveiled by Rigel.

The object on the painting above is NGC 1909, also known as the witch head nebula. This nebula is believed to be an age-old supernova remnant. It is a member of our own galaxy, about 900 light years away from us.  The gas clouds owe its auroral appearance to its proximity to Rigel, the seventh brightest star in the sky, in Orion. Rigel is located to the right of the witch's head (not depicted).  As the supershell expanded, the interstellar space is enriched with newly formed chemical elements. Star formation regions within this nebula can be detected via radio observations, which show the presence of Carbon Monoxide emissions. Thus, this supernovae remnant is a crucible for star formation. Find out more about the history of our Universe, the physics of nebulae and how the painting was made at Horizon Crossing