Creative image of ESO for the New Year!

This picture is from nebula From the recently released Flame – and in it we get to know the icon Horsehead Nebula – , based on the observations made by the previous astronomer From’who – which Thomas Stank and his team a few years ago. Very excited to test the instrument SuperCam, which was just installed on climax (Atacama Pathfinder Experience), they generally refer to Dorian constellation. “As astronomers like to say, once there is a new one telescope Or a new machine, note Orion There will always be something new and interesting to discover.”Thomas Stank explains. After a few years and many observations after that, the team saw their results acceptable for publication in the journal. Astronomy and astrophysics.

Orion, one of the most famous regions of the sky, is home to clouds The giant particles closest to the sun – the large cosmic bodies consist mainly ofhydrogenwhere it is formed New stars and planets. These clouds lie between 1300 and 1600 light years from planet Earth and is home to the most active stellar nursery in the vicinity solar systemAs well as the Flame Nebula visible in this image. This nebula “in episode It includes in its center a gathering of young people stars that emit high radiation energy, causing the surrounding gases to glow.

Discovering the Cow Nebula

With such an exciting goal, the team was not in danger of being disappointed. Besides the Flame Nebula and its surroundings, Thomas Stank and his collaborators were able to enjoy a plethora of other wonderful things. These include reflection nebulae Messier 78 and NGC 2071, gas clouds and interstellar dust It is believed to reflect the light of nearby stars. The team discovered a new nebula, a small object, remarkable for its almost completely circular appearance, which they named a nebula a cow.

Observations were made as part of an alcohol survey (Scan Apex Large CO Heterodyne Orion Legacy) who was interested in surf radio issued by Carbon Monoxide (CO) in the mighty clouds. use this compound To explore large areas of the sky is the main goal SuperCam, because it allows astronomers to map the large gas clouds that give rise to new stars. unlike what” fire This image indicates that these clouds are indeed cold, with temperatures usually exceeding a few tens of degrees absolute zero.

Due to the many secrets it can reveal, this region of the sky has been scanned several times in the past differently wavelengths, each wavelength range reveals different and unique properties of Orion molecular clouds (or OMC, for Orion Molecular Cloud). Notes Infrared Made by vista (visible and infrared scanning telescope for astronomy) from ESO to the Paranal Observatory in Chile, which provides a more peaceful background to the image of the Flame Nebula and its surroundings, is a case in point. Unlike visible light, infrared waves travel through thick clouds of interstellar dust, allowing astronomers to spot stars and other objects that would otherwise remain hidden. These are the wavelengths at which the new is spatial telescope From NASA, Webb, will be up and running in a few months.

Also, this festive season, usher in the new year with this stunning fireworks display produced in multiple wavelengths presented by the Flame of Orion Nebula, presented by ESO!

Apex telescope explores Orion dust

OAMP article published on May 3, 2012

A new image of the ocean surrounding the Messier 78 Reflection Nebula, located just north of Orion’s belt, reveals clouds of cosmic dust “suspended” in the nebula like a string of pearls. Observations were made using the Apex Telescope.Atacama Pathfinder Experience), use the thermal rays Interstellar dust grains to show astronomers where new stars are forming.

Dust can seem dull and uninspiring – a dirty surface obscures the beauty of the object. However, this new image of Messier 78 in Dorian constellation and its surroundings, by detecting sub-millimeter radiation from granules dust in space, shows that dust can be dazzling. It is really important to Astronomy scientists, because thick clouds of gas and dust are the birthplace of new stars.

In the middle of this image (at the bottom of the article) we see Messier 78, also called NGC 2068. When observed in visible light, this region is a reflection nebula, which means we see faint blue radiation from starlight reflection shutting down the dust clouds. Notesclimax, sub-millimeter telescope fromwho – which, overlaid on the visible light image and shown here in orange. These observations, taken at longer wavelengths, reveal slight radiation of dense and cold dust clusters, some of which can reach temperatures of -250 degrees Celsius. In visible light, this dust is dark and fuzzy, which is why telescopes like Apex are so important for studying dusty clouds as stars are born.

A living star is born

Threads marked by climax It appears, in visible light, as a band of dark dust crossing Messier 78. This indicates that the extremely dense dust lies in front of the nebula by reflection, obscuring its bluish light. Another notable region of bright dust observed by Apex interferes with visible light from Messier 78 on its lower edge. The absence of the corresponding dark dust band in the visible light image tells us that this dense area of ​​dust should be behind nebula.

Observations of gas in these clouds reveal a significant gas flow Speed for some packet Very dense material. These streams are ejected by young stars still forming in the surrounding cloud. So their presence clearly indicates that these beams are actively engaged in star formation. NGC 2071, another reflection nebula, is at the top of the image. While the regions below this image host only young, low stars Collective, NGC 2071, for its part, contains a young, more massive star estimated to be five times as massive Soleil It is located on the brightest point we see in the Apex notes.

Apex notes used in this image were made by Thomas Stanke (who – which), Tom Meggeth (University of Toledo, the United States) and Amy Stutz (the above plank Institute of AstronomyHeidelberg, Germany).