What is the essential prerequisite for an emission nebula’s glow?
Answer
The presence of very hot, very young stars residing within or near the gas cloud.
The essential prerequisite for an emission nebula's glow is the presence of very hot, very young stars which emit prodigious amounts of high-energy ultraviolet (UV) radiation that powers the spectacle.

Frequently Asked Questions
What is the essential prerequisite for an emission nebula’s glow?What is the process called when a freed electron is captured back into an orbit around the positive nucleus?Which element is responsible for the most prominent deep red color in most emission nebulae?What color is typically associated with the emission from doubly ionized oxygen ($ ext{O}^{++}$)?How do emission nebulae generate their luminosity, unlike dust clouds that merely reflect light?What determines the specific color of the light photon emitted when an electron drops energy levels?What is the primary purpose of using techniques like the Hubble Palette in processing nebula images?What causes the appearance of dark filaments or 'shadows' within the bright gas of a nebula?In terms of physical conditions, what does a strong blue-green (oxygen) signal relative to the red (hydrogen) suggest?How do emission nebulae generally appear to an observer looking through a small telescope eyepiece?