A rosy red nebula takes center stage in a new photo from the European Southern Observatory (ESO).
An emission is an extended cloud of dust and gas known as IC1284 Nebula, a bright, diffuse cloud of ionized gas emits its own light. This particular emission nebula, seen in the center of the image, glows red from activity Star Formation and fusion of hydrogen in the region.
„Its rosy glow comes from electrons in hydrogen atoms: they are excited by radiation from young stars, but then they lose energy and emit a specific color or wavelength of light,” ESO officials said. said in a statement.
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Astronomers on the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) photographed IC1284 using ESO’s wide-field camera. Paranal Observatory In Chile. (VLT stands for „Very Large Telescope.”) Nebulae are made up of enormous clouds of dust and gas that fuel new star formation. In the new image, IC1284’s warm red glow is dotted around it with bright twinkling stars.
IC1284 is flanked by two blue reflection nebulae known as NGC6589 and NGC6590 located in the lower right corner of the new VST image. Compared to emission nebulae, the clouds of interstellar dust in reflection nebulae reflect the light of a nearby star or stars, producing a distinctive blue color.
„A reflective dust Nebula „This is what gives these nebulae their strange glow,” ESO officials explained in the statement. „This is why the sky is blue!”
The new image, released Tuesday (Oct. 2), was captured as part of a larger effort by the organization. That, called the VST Photometric H Alpha Survey of the Southern Galactic Plane and Bulge (VPHAS+). According to the statement, the study aims to observe nebulae and stars in visible light to help astronomers understand how stars are born, live and die.
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