Nebula around star cluster RCW 38
The wider region surrounding the star cluster RCW 38, located about 5,500 light years away in the direction of the constellation Vela (the Sails). RCW 38 is an "embedded" cluster, in that the nascent cloud of dust and gas still envelops its stars. There, young, titanic stars bombard fledgling suns and planets with powerful winds and large amount of light, helped in their devastating task by short- lived, massive stars that explode as supernovae. In some cases, this energetic onslaught cooks away the matter that may eventually form new planetary systems. Scientists think that our own Solar System emerged from such a dramatic environment.
This image was obtained with the Wide Field Imager instrument on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at La Silla, using data collected through four filters (B, V, R and H-alpha). The field of view is 30 arcminutes.
Credit:
ESO
About the Image
| Id: | eso0929c |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 19 August 2009 |
| Related releases: | eso0929 |
| Size: | 8426 x 8332 px |
About the Object
| Name: | RCW 38 |
| Type: | • Solar System : Star : Grouping : Cluster • Milky Way : Nebula • Nebulae • Star Clusters |
| Distance: | 5500 light years |
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 8h 59m 47.23s |
| Position (Dec): | -47° 31' 57.27" |
| Field of view: | 33.43 x 33.05 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 0.0° right of vertical |
Colours & filters
| Band | Telescope |
| Optical B |
MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical Pseudogreen (B+R) |
MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical H-alpha |
MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical R |
MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
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