Astronomy Picture of the Day · October 4, 2023

IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for October 4, 2023 is “IC 2118: The Witch Head Nebula,” an image. The picture is copyrighted by its creator (Image Credit & Copyright: Abdullah Alharbi). The original explanation runs about 155 words.

A colorful star field surrounds a big blue reflection nebula. The nebula is elongated across the wide frame and said to resemble the head of folklore-based witch. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. — Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Abdullah Alharbi Copyrighted Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Does this nebula look like the head of a witch? The nebula is known popularly as the Witch Head Nebula because, it is said, the nebula’s shape resembles a Halloween-style caricature of a witch’s head.”

— APOD editors, October 4, 2023

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date: October 4, 2023
Type: Image
Credit: Credit: Image Credit & Copyright: Abdullah Alharbi
Copyright: Copyrighted by the credited creator. Ask the copyright holder before reusing it.
Explanation length: About 155 words

All of October 2023 → · 2023 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

Nebulae

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: October 4 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Astronomy Picture of the Day, October 4, 2023 — science.nasa.gov/image-article/apod-2023-october-4-ic-2118-the-witch-head-nebula

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.