Space
ESO Telescope Captures Stunning New Image of Star Formation Region, Gum 15
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Jul 02, 2014 10:55 AM EDT
Astronomers have captured a stunning new image of the star formation region Gum 15 with the help of the MPG/ESO 2.2-meter telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile. The new picture reveals stars and gas swirling against the backdrop of space.
The star formation region, Gum 15, is a little-known object that's located in the constellation of Vela, The Sails. It can be found about 3,000 light-years from Earth.
The glowing cloud of gas is actually an example of an HII region. An HII region is a large, low-density cloud of partially ionized gas in which star formation has recently taken place. These areas are sometimes several hundreds of light-years across and are often associated with giant molecular clouds.
The first known HII region was the Orion Nebula, but another more famous example of such a region is the Trifid Nebula. This nebula was first discovered by the French astronomer Charles Messier in June 1764. Observations made about 60 years later by John Herschel showed that the cosmic cloud was divided into three lobes, which inspired the name "Trifid."
Taking pictures of objects in space is an important part of learning a bit more about the universe. This new image shows Gum 15 in unprecedented detail, which will help astronomers better understand the area when it comes to future studies. ESO's main mission may be to provide state-of-the-art research facilities to astronomers and astrophysicists, but the powerful telescopes also show that space can be truly stunning.
Want to see more spectacular images of nebulas, stars and space? You can see them at the European Southern Observatory website here.
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First Posted: Jul 02, 2014 10:55 AM EDT
Astronomers have captured a stunning new image of the star formation region Gum 15 with the help of the MPG/ESO 2.2-meter telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile. The new picture reveals stars and gas swirling against the backdrop of space.
The star formation region, Gum 15, is a little-known object that's located in the constellation of Vela, The Sails. It can be found about 3,000 light-years from Earth.
The glowing cloud of gas is actually an example of an HII region. An HII region is a large, low-density cloud of partially ionized gas in which star formation has recently taken place. These areas are sometimes several hundreds of light-years across and are often associated with giant molecular clouds.
The first known HII region was the Orion Nebula, but another more famous example of such a region is the Trifid Nebula. This nebula was first discovered by the French astronomer Charles Messier in June 1764. Observations made about 60 years later by John Herschel showed that the cosmic cloud was divided into three lobes, which inspired the name "Trifid."
Taking pictures of objects in space is an important part of learning a bit more about the universe. This new image shows Gum 15 in unprecedented detail, which will help astronomers better understand the area when it comes to future studies. ESO's main mission may be to provide state-of-the-art research facilities to astronomers and astrophysicists, but the powerful telescopes also show that space can be truly stunning.
Want to see more spectacular images of nebulas, stars and space? You can see them at the European Southern Observatory website here.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone