Gemini Observatory Unveils 'Heavenly Rains' Image, Echoing 'Pillars of Creation'
The Gemini Observatory has released a striking image of the emission nebula NGC 6820 and the open star cluster NGC 6823, located 6,000 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula. This image, named Ua 'Ōhi'a Lani or 'Heavenly 'Ōhi'a Rains,' was unveiled to commemorate the observatory's 25th anniversary. The image captures the nebula's red gas, illuminated by the blue-white light of massive stars in NGC 6823, reminiscent of the iconic 'Pillars of Creation' in the Eagle Nebula. The image was taken using the Gemini North telescope on Maunakea, Hawaii, and was named by local high school students participating in the University of Hawaii's Project Hōkūlani summer internship. The nebula's crimson hue is attributed to the abundance of hydrogen gas, and the image's name draws from Hawaiian mythology, symbolizing regrowth and new beginnings. 
