Infrared halo frames a newborn star

Images of the dark interstellar cloud DC303.8-14.2, a so-called globule as it looks in red (left) and near-infrared light (middle and right panels). The left image was obtained at wavelength 700 nm and has been reproduced from the Digitized Sky Survey (DSS). It covers a sky region of 20 x 20 arcmin 2, or about 50% of the area of the full moon. The dust particles in the cloud reflect the light from stars, causing the cloud to appear brighter than the adjacent sky. The middle image shows the central part of the globule in the H-band. A bright rim is clearly detected - this is the first time such a ring is seen in near-infrared light around a globule. Several jet- and knot-like structures are seen in the Ks-band image (right panel).