CG4: A Ruptured Cometary Globule
			
		
		
		
			Can a gas cloud eat a galaxy?  
It's not even close.  
The odd looking "creature" in the center of the 
above photo is a gas cloud known as a 
cometary globule. 
This globule, however, has ruptured. 
Cometary globules 
are typically characterized by 
dusty heads and
elongated tails. 
These features cause cometary 
globules 
to have visual similarities to comets, 
but in reality they are very much different. 
Globules 
are frequently the birthplaces of stars, 
and many show very young stars in their heads.
The reason for the rupture in the head of this 
object is not completely known. 
The galaxy 
to the left of center is huge, very far in the distance, and only placed near 
CG4 by chance superposition.