Why do Reflection Nebulae often exhibit a blue hue?
Answer
The embedded dust particles scatter blue light more efficiently than red light
Reflection nebulae shine by bouncing light from nearby stars that are not hot enough for ionization; the dust scatters shorter blue wavelengths much more effectively than longer red wavelengths, resulting in a blue appearance.
#Videos
Nebulae: Crash Course Astronomy #36 - YouTube
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