---
title: "Astronomy Picture of the Day: 4/8/13 – California Nebula"
description: "Located some 1,500 light-years from Earth (in the constellation of Perseus or the Orion arm of the Milky Way galaxy) is this; what astronomers call the '[California nebula]()'. We don't have to explain the origin of the name, as it…"
date: "2013-04-08"
modified: "2013-04-08"
authors:
  - name: "Jaime Trosper"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jaimefqtq"
url: "https://futurism.com/astronomy-picture-of-the-day-4813-california-nebula-2"
categories:
  - "From Quarks to Quasars"
---

# Astronomy Picture of the Day: 4/8/13 – California Nebula

![Default Futurism featured image](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Futurism-Filler-Image.jpg>)

Located some 1,500 light-years from Earth (in the constellation of Perseus or the Orion arm of the Milky Way galaxy) is this; what astronomers call the '[California nebula](<http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA13108>)'. We don't have to explain the origin of the name, as it really does mimic the shape of the state of California in the US -- this can be discerned much easier if if you rotate the image by a little more than 90 degrees clockwise. Only it's much, much larger. This deep space nebula stretches more than 100 light-years across.

[![Credit: Markus Noller (From “Deep Sky Images)](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/California-Nebula-1024x761.jpg>)](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/California-Nebula.jpg>)
*Credit: Markus Noller (From “Deep Sky Images")*

The California nebula, also known as NGC 1499, is an emission nebula that is home to a plethora of ionized hydrogen atoms that are stripped away by the ultraviolet radiation beaming from the embedded stars. More specifically, the likely culprit star is a hot, high-mass star on the outer right edge of the image, known as Xi Persei. After the ionized hydrogen atoms relax to a lower energy state, they left behind a reddish glow that surrounds the outer edge of the nebula. The prominent colors are also representative of certain elements, with the hydrogen appearing green, the sulfur mapped to red (to a lesser degree) and the oxygen mapped as blue.

## Author
Jaime is a freelance writer, who finds great joy in sharing the wonders of universe with others. She used this passion to launch "From Quarks to Quasars" in 2012.