Setting the dark on fire

A new image from the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope in Chile shows a beautiful view of clouds of cosmic dust in the region of Orion. While these dense interstellar clouds seem dark and obscured in visible-light observations, APEX’s LABOCA camera can detect the heat glow of the dust and reveal the hiding places where new stars are being formed. The image shows the region around the reflection nebula NGC 1999 in visible light, with the APEX observations overlaid in brilliant orange tones that seem to set the dark clouds on fire.

Credit:

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

About the Image

Id:eso1304a
Type:Observation
Release date:23 January 2013, 12:00
Related releases:eso1304
Size:2115 x 2648 px

About the Object

Name:NGC 1999, OMC
Type:Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Star Formation
Distance:1500 light years
Constellation:Orion
Category:Nebulae

Image Formats

Large JPEG
1.9 MB
Screensize JPEG
411.8 KB

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Wallpapers

1024x768
350.6 KB
1280x1024
567.8 KB
1600x1200
790.8 KB
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897.0 KB
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1.2 MB

Coordinates

Position (RA):5 36 24.99
Position (Dec):-6° 42' 43.19"
Field of view:35.50 x 44.45 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.2° right of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
O
440 nmDigitized Sky Survey 2
N/A
Optical
B
480 nmDigitized Sky Survey 2
N/A
Optical
E
650 nmDigitized Sky Survey 2
N/A
Millimeter
Submillimetre
870 μmAtacama Pathfinder Experiment
Optical
R
680 nmDigitized Sky Survey 2
N/A
Infrared
I
800 nmDigitized Sky Survey 2
N/A