Protostar HH-34 in Orion

Three-colour composite of the young object Herbig-Haro 34 (HH-34), now in the protostar stage of evolution. It is based on CCD frames obtained with the FORS2 instrument in imaging mode, on November 2 and 6, 1999.

This object has a remarkable, very complicated appearance that includes two opposite jets that ram into the surrounding interstellar matter. This structure is produced by a machine-gun-like blast of "bullets" of dense gas ejected from the star at high velocities (approaching 250 km/sec). This seems to indicate that the star experiences episodic "outbursts" when large chunks of material fall onto it from a surrounding disc.

HH-34 is located at a distance of approx. 1,500 light-years, near the famous Orion Nebula, one of the most productive star birth regions. Note also the enigmatic "waterfall" to the upper left, a feature that is still unexplained.

The composite of three images was taken through three different filters : B (wavelength 429 nm; Full-Width-Half-Maximum (FWHM) 88 nm; exposure time 10 min; here rendered as blue), H-alpha (centered on the hydrogen emission line at wavelength 656 nm; FWHM 6 nm; 30 min; green) and S II (centrered at the emission lines of inonized sulphur at wavelength 673 nm; FWHM 6 nm; 30 min; red) during a period of 0.8 arcsec seeing. The field shown measures 6.8 x 6.8 arcmin and the images were recorded in frames of 2048 x 2048 pixels, each measuring 0.2 arcsec. North is up; East is left.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso9948b
Type:Observation
Release date:17 November 1999
Related releases:eso9948
Size:4961 x 4961 px

About the Object

Name:HH 34
Type:Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Protostar
Distance:1500 light years
Constellation:Orion
Category:Nebulae

Image Formats

Large JPEG
4.3 MB
Screensize JPEG
250.8 KB

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Wallpapers

1024x768
296.7 KB
1280x1024
469.4 KB
1600x1200
655.2 KB
1920x1200
758.2 KB
2048x1536
984.3 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):5 35 27.97
Position (Dec):-6° 25' 45.39"
Field of view:6.71 x 6.71 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 1.6° right of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
B
429 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS2
Optical
H-alpha
656 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS2
Optical
SII
673 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS2