Close-up view of the head of the Seagull Nebula
This image from ESO’s La Silla Observatory shows part of a stellar nursery nicknamed the Seagull Nebula. This cloud of gas, known as Sh 2-292, RCW 2 and Gum 1, seems to form the head of the seagull and glows brightly due to the energetic radiation from a very hot young star lurking at its heart. The detailed view was produced by the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope.
Credit:
ESO
About the Image
| Id: | eso1237a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 26 September 2012, 12:00 |
| Related releases: | eso1237 |
| Size: | 6554 x 6528 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Gum 1, HD 53367, RCW 2, Seagull Nebula, Sh 2-292 |
| Type: | • Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Star Formation • Nebulae |
| Distance: | 3500 light years |
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 7h 4m 42.72s |
| Position (Dec): | -10° 29' 30.12" |
| Field of view: | 26.00 x 25.90 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 0.0° right of vertical |
View in Worldwide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
| Optical B |
456 nm | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical V |
540 nm | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical R |
652 nm | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical H-alpha |
659 nm | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |



















