reflection nebula messier 78 interstellar

Some examples include the reflection nebulae Messier 78 and NGC 2071 ( ) - clouds of interstellar gas and dust believed to reflect the light of nearby stars. In addition to the Flame Nebula and its surroundings, Stanke and his collaborators were able to admire a wide range of other spectacular objects. With such an exciting target, the team were unlikely to be disappointed. This 'emission' nebula harbours a cluster of young stars at its centre that emit high-energy radiation, making the surrounding gases shine. These clouds are located between 13 light-years away and feature the most active stellar nursery in the Solar System's neighbourhood, as well as the Flame Nebula depicted in this image. One of the most famous regions in the sky, Orion is home to the giant molecular clouds closest to the Sun - vast cosmic objects made up mainly of hydrogen, where new stars and planets form. A few years and many observations later, Stanke and his team have now had their results accepted ( ) for publication in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. 'As astronomers like to say, whenever there is a new telescope or instrument around, observe Orion: there will always be something new and interesting to discover!' says Stanke. Excited to try out the then recently installed SuperCam ( ) instrument at APEX, they pointed it towards the constellation Orion. The newly processed image of the Flame Nebula, in which smaller nebulae like the Horsehead Nebula also make an appearance, is based on observations conducted by former ESO astronomer Thomas Stanke and his team a few years ago.

The 'fire' you see in this holiday postcard is Orion's Flame Nebula and its surroundings captured in radio waves - an image that undoubtedly does justice to the nebula's name! It was taken with the ESO-operated Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX), located on the cold Chajnantor Plateau in Chile's Atacama Desert. But no need to worry, this iconic constellation is neither exploding nor burning. Orion offers you a spectacular firework display to celebrate the holiday season and the new year in this new image from the European Southern Observatory (ESO).

Reflection nebula messier 78 interstellar