VISTA's infrared view of the Orion Nebula*

This wide-field view of the Orion Nebula (Messier 42), lying about 1350 light-years from Earth, was taken with the VISTA infrared survey telescope at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile.The new telescope’s huge field of view allows the whole nebula and its surroundings to be imaged in a single picture and its infrared vision also means that it can peer deep into the normally hidden dusty regions and reveal the curious antics of the very active young stars buried there. This image was created from images taken through Z, J and Ks filters in the near-infrared part of the spectrum. The exposure times were ten minutes per filter. The image covers a region of sky about one degree by 1.5 degrees.

 

#L

Credit:

ESO/J. Emerson/VISTA.
Acknowledgment: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit

About the Image

Id:eso1006a
Type:Observation
Release date:10 February 2010, 12:00
Related releases:eso1006
Size:12640 x 15546 px

About the Object

Name:M 42, Messier 42, Orion Nebula
Type:Milky Way : Nebula : Appearance : Emission : H II Region
Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Star Formation
Distance:1400 light years
Constellation:Orion
Category:Nebulae

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43.8 MB
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Coordinates

Position (RA):5 35 17.32
Position (Dec):-5° 23' 27.55"
Field of view:71.84 x 88.35 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.1° left of vertical