Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2025 February 25 [2]A starscape is shown with red filaments running diagonally from the lower left to the upper right. Many bright blue stars are visible across the center of the frame. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. M41: The Little Beehive Star Cluster Image Credit & Copyright: [3]Xinran Li Explanation: Why are there so many bright blue stars? Stars are usually born in [4]clusters, and the brightest and most massive of these stars typically glow blue. Less-bright, non-blue stars like our [5]Sun surely also exist in this [6]M41 star cluster but are harder to see. A few bright orange-appearing [7]red giant stars are visible. The red-light filaments are emitted by diffuse hydrogen gas, a [8]color that was specifically filtered and enhanced in this image. In a hundred million years or so, the bright blue stars will have exploded in [9]supernovas and disappeared, while the slightly different trajectories of the fainter stars will cause [10]this picturesque open cluster to disperse. Similarly, billions of years ago, our own Sun was likely born into a [11]star cluster like M41, but it has long since [12]drifted apart from its [13]sister stars. The [14]featured image was captured over four hours with [15]Chilescope T2 in [16]Chile. Tomorrow's picture: Einstein's ring __________________________________________________________________ [17]< | [18]Archive | [19]Submissions | [20]Index | [21]Search | [22]Calendar | [23]RSS | [24]Education | [25]About APOD | [26]Discuss | [27]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [28]Robert Nemiroff ([29]MTU) & [30]Jerry Bonnell ([31]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [32]Specific rights apply. [33]NASA Web Privacy, [34]Accessibility, [35]Notices; A service of: [36]ASD at [37]NASA / [38]GSFC, [39]NASA Science Activation & [40]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2502/M41_Li_4000.jpg 3. https://app.astrobin.com/u/Flying_Dutchman#gallery 4. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/star-clusters-inside-the-universes-stellar-collections/ 5. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/ 6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messier_41 7. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_giant 8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydrogen-alpha 9. https://youtu.be/wymMn-SmALY 10. https://app.astrobin.com/u/Flying_Dutchman?i=wdu704#gallery 11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_cluster 12. https://c8.alamy.com/comp/2BC0K5D/two-cats-sitting-in-safe-social-distance-separated-by-an-open-drainage-channel-in-the-street-with-natural-stone-paving-in-a-greek-village-cyclades-2BC0K5D.jpg 13. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap241209.html 14. https://www.instagram.com/astrobin_com/p/DFVAtOqNm2Y/ 15. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CHILESCOPE 16. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chile 17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250224.html 18. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 19. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 21. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 23. https://apod.com/feed.rss 24. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 26. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250225 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250226.html 28. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 29. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 30. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 31. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 33. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 34. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 35. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 36. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 37. https://www.nasa.gov/ 38. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 39. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 40. http://www.mtu.edu/