What specifically energizes the gas in an emission nebula causing it to glow?
Answer
Intense ultraviolet radiation emanating from extremely hot, newly formed stars located nearby
An emission nebula is characterized by gas that actively radiates visible light because it has been energized, or ionized, by powerful radiation. This ionizing energy comes specifically from extremely hot, newly formed stars residing in close proximity to the cloud. This intense ultraviolet radiation excites the gas atoms, causing them to release photons in characteristic colors that reveal the elemental makeup of the gas present within the illuminated region of the nebula.
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