|
Collection:
|
|
NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
|
|
Title:
|
|
The Tarantula Nebula
Title
The Tarantula Nebula
Title
|
|
Description:
|
|
NASA's new Spitzer Space Telescope has captured in stunning detail the spidery filaments and newborn stars of the Tarantula Nebula, a rich star-forming region also known as 30 Doradus. In this animation the infrared structures seen by this new observatory are compared with a visible light image from the ground-based European Southern Observatory (ESO) to highlight the power of Spitzer to see what other telescopes cannot.
Starting with the ESO visible-light image, the spider-like filaments that inspired this nebula's name fill the view. The pinkish color in this image originates from the gas, mostly hydrogen heated to high temperatures by the many brilliant young stars. Dark swaths cutting through this region suggest the sooty, dense dust clouds that fuel star formation.
Zooming into one dust lane at the upper right side of the nebula, the transition to the infrared view reveals a streamer of bright red emission from a visually dark cloud. Here, and throughout the nebula, these red filaments reveal the presence of molecular material thought to be rich in hydrocarbons, a Spitzer finding highlighting a previously unseen aspect of this nebula. Green indicate the hottest regions of gas, coming from the same hydrogen gas that produces the visible light.
Moving down and around the heart of the Tarantula, the lower cavity of the nebula moves into view. Dense pillars of gas line the edge of this opening, looking almost like teeth around a mouth. In visible light the outer surfaces of these pillars glow brilliantly while the infrared view reveals a more complex structure. The green outer surfaces trace the surrounding hot gas while red filaments expose the dense, buried cloud cores, almost like a dentist's X-ray probing hidden roots within the teeth.
Finally, pulling back to see the entire nebula, the striking differences and similarities between the visible and infrared images are clear. By expanding our view beyond the limits of visible light we can see otherwise invisible dust clouds and hidden stars that greatly enhance our understanding of the Tarantula Nebula.
Description
NASA's new Spitzer Space Telescope has captured in stunning detail the spidery filaments and newborn stars of the Tarantula Nebula, a rich star-forming region also known as 30 Doradus. In this animation the infrared structures seen by this new observatory are compared with a visible light image from the ground-based European Southern Observatory (ESO) to highlight the power of Spitzer to see what other telescopes cannot.
Starting with the ESO visible-light image, the spider-like filaments that inspired this nebula's name fill the view. The pinkish color in this image originates from the gas, mostly hydrogen heated to high temperatures by the many brilliant young stars. Dark swaths cutting through this region suggest the sooty, dense dust clouds that fuel star formation.
Zooming into one dust lane at the upper right side of the nebula, the transition to the infrared view reveals a streamer of bright red emission from a visually dark cloud. Here, and throughout the nebula, these red filaments reveal the presence of molecular material thought to be rich in hydrocarbons, a Spitzer finding highlighting a previously unseen aspect of this nebula. Green indicate the hottest regions of gas, coming from the same hydrogen gas that produces the visible light.
Moving down and around the heart of the Tarantula, the lower cavity of the nebula moves into view. Dense pillars of gas line the edge of this opening, looking almost like teeth around a mouth. In visible light the outer surfaces of these pillars glow brilliantly while the infrared view reveals a more complex structure. The green outer surfaces trace the surrounding hot gas while red filaments expose the dense, buried cloud cores, almost like a dentist's X-ray probing hidden roots within the teeth.
Finally, pulling back to see the entire nebula, the striking differences and similarities between the visible and infrared images are clear. By expanding our view beyond the limits of visible light we can see otherwise invisible dust clouds and hidden stars that greatly enhance our understanding of the Tarantula Nebula.
Description
|
|
Release Date:
|
|
2004/01/13
Release_Date
2004/01/13
Release Date
|
|
Press Release:
|
Press_Release
Press Release
|
|
Release Credit:
|
|
NASA/JPL-Caltech/B. Brandl (Cornell & University of Leiden) & ESO
Release_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/B. Brandl (Cornell & University of Leiden) & ESO
Release Credit
|
|
Image Credit:
|
|
NASA/JPL-Caltech/B. Brandl (Cornell & University of Leiden)
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/B. Brandl (Cornell & University of Leiden)
Image Credit
|
|
Object name:
|
|
Tarantula Nebula
Object_name
Tarantula Nebula
Object name
|
|
Object name:
|
|
30 Doradus
Object_name
30 Doradus
Object name
|
|
Object name:
|
|
NGC 2070
Object_name
NGC 2070
Object name
|
|
Object type:
|
|
Emission Nebula/Star Forming Region
Object_type
Emission Nebula/Star Forming Region
Object type
|
|
Position (J2000):
|
|
*RA: *05h38m42.40s *Dec: *-69d06m2.80s
Position_(J2000)
*RA: *05h38m42.40s *Dec: *-69d06m2.80s
Position (J2000)
|
|
Distance:
|
|
170,000 light-years
Distance
170,000 light-years
Distance
|
|
Constellation:
|
|
Dorado (the Dolphinfish)
Constellation
Dorado (the Dolphinfish)
Constellation
|
|
Wavelength:
|
|
3.6 (blue), 4.5 (green), 5.8 (orange), 8.0 (red) microns
Wavelength
3.6 (blue), 4.5 (green), 5.8 (orange), 8.0 (red) microns
Wavelength
|
|
Image scale:
|
|
28.3 x 18.6 arcmin
Image_scale
28.3 x 18.6 arcmin
Image scale
|
|
Observers:
|
|
Bernhard R. Brandl (Cornell University & University of Leiden)
Sean Carey (SSC/Caltech)
Giovanni G. Fazio (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
James Houck (Cornell University)
S. Thomas Megeath (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
John Stauffer (SSC/Caltech)
Dan Weedman (NSF)
Observers
Bernhard R. Brandl (Cornell University & University of Leiden)
Sean Carey (SSC/Caltech)
Giovanni G. Fazio (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
James Houck (Cornell University)
S. Thomas Megeath (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
John Stauffer (SSC/Caltech)
Dan Weedman (NSF)
Observers
|
|
Instrument:
|
|
IRAC
Instrument
IRAC
Instrument
|
|
Exposure Date:
|
|
6 November 2003
Exposure_Date
6 November 2003
Exposure Date
|
|
Exposure Time:
|
|
36 seconds per position
Exposure_Time
36 seconds per position
Exposure Time
|
|
Orientation:
|
|
North is 43 degrees counterclockwise from vertical
Orientation
North is 43 degrees counterclockwise from vertical
Orientation
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Visible Light
facet_what
Visible Light
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
TRACE
facet_what
TRACE
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Dorado
facet_what
Dorado
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
ESO
facet_what
ESO
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
nebula
facet_what
nebula
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Tarantula Nebula
facet_what
Tarantula Nebula
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Stennis Space Center (SSC)
facet_where
Stennis Space Center (SSC)
facet_where
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
November 2003
facet_when
November 2003
facet_when
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
2003
facet_when_year
2003
facet_when_year
|
|
Image #:
|
|
ssc2004-01v1
Image_#
ssc2004-01v1
Image #
|
|
original url:
|
original_url
original url
|
|
UID:
|
|
SPD-SPITZ-ssc2004-01 v1
UID
SPD-SPITZ-ssc2004-01 v1
UID
|
