The brilliant star VFTS 682 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (annotated)

This view shows part of the very active star-forming region around the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small neighbour of the Milky Way. At the upper left is the brilliant but isolated star VFTS 682 and at the lower right is the very rich star cluster R 136. The origins of VFTS 682 are unclear — was it ejected from R 136 or did it form on its own? The star appears yellow-red in this view, which includes both visible-light and infrared images from the Wide Field Imager at the 2.2-metre MPG/ESO telescope at La Silla and the 4.1-metre infrared VISTA telescope at Paranal, because of the effects of dust.

Credit:

ESO/M.-R. Cioni/VISTA Magellanic Cloud survey. Acknowledgment: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit

About the Image

Id:eso1117b
Type:Observation
Release date:25 May 2011, 12:00
Related releases:eso1117
Size:622 x 858 px

About the Object

Name:VFTS 682
Type:Local Universe : Star : Type : Wolf-Rayet
Distance:170000 light years
Constellation:Dorado
Category:Nebulae
Star Clusters

Image Formats

Large JPEG
195.8 KB
Screensize JPEG
284.4 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):5 38 42.61
Position (Dec):-69° 6' 3.89"