Cosmic dust clouds in Messier 78

This image of the region surrounding the reflection nebula Messier 78, just to the north of Orion’s belt, shows clouds of cosmic dust threaded through the nebula like a string of pearls. The submillimetre-wavelength observations, made with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope and shown here in orange, use the heat glow of interstellar dust grains to show astronomers where new stars are being formed. They are overlaid on a view of the region in visible light.

Credit:

ESO/APEX (MPIfR/ESO/OSO)/T. Stanke et al./Igor Chekalin/Digitized Sky Survey 2

About the Image

Id:eso1219a
Type:Observation
Release date:2 May 2012, 12:00
Related releases:eso1219
Size:2287 x 3493 px

About the Object

Name:M 78, Messier 78, NGC 2068
Type:Milky Way : Nebula : Appearance : Reflection
Distance:1400 light years
Constellation:Orion
Category:Nebulae

Image Formats

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2.7 MB
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Coordinates

Position (RA):5 46 46.74
Position (Dec):0° 0' 49.61"
Field of view:38.39 x 58.64 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.0° left of vertical

Colours & filters

BandTelescope
OpticalDigitized Sky Survey 2
MillimeterAtacama Pathfinder Experiment