{"id":12177,"date":"2016-02-10T06:00:20","date_gmt":"2016-02-10T11:00:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=12177"},"modified":"2016-02-10T02:34:38","modified_gmt":"2016-02-10T07:34:38","slug":"12177","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hobbyspace.com\/Blog\/?p=12177","title":{"rendered":"ESO: A nebula glows with the reflected light of a new star"},"content":{"rendered":"

The latest public report from the\u00a0ESO<\/a>\u00a0(European Southern Observatory) :<\/p>\n

A Star\u2019s Moment in the Spotlight<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

A newly formed star lights up the surrounding cosmic clouds in this new image from ESO\u2019s La Silla Observatory in Chile. Dust particles in the vast clouds that surround the star HD 97300 diffuse its light, like a car headlight in enveloping fog, and create the reflection nebula IC 2631. Although HD 97300 is in the spotlight for now, the very dust that makes it so hard to miss heralds the birth of additional, potentially scene-stealing, future stars.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A newly formed star lights up the surrounding cosmic clouds in this image from ESO\u2019s La Silla Observatory in Chile. Dust particles in the vast clouds that surround the star HD 97300 diffuse its light, like a car headlight in enveloping fog, and create the reflection nebula IC 2631. Although HD 97300 is in the spotlight for now, the very dust that makes it so hard to miss heralds the birth of additional, potentially scene-stealing, future stars.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The glowing region in this new image from the MPG\/ESO 2.2-metre telescope<\/a> is a reflection nebula<\/a> known as IC 2631. These objects are clouds of cosmic dust that reflect light from a nearby star into space, creating a stunning light show like the one captured here. IC 2631 is the brightest nebula in the Chamaeleon Complex<\/a>, a large region of gas and dust clouds that harbours numerous newborn and still-forming stars. The complex lies about 500 light-years away in the southern constellation of Chamaeleon<\/a>.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/cdn.eso.org\/videos\/medium_podcast\/eso1605a.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

This video journey starts with a view of the spectacular southern Milky Way and then closes in on the inconspicuous southern constellation of Chameleon (The Chameleon). The final image shows a detailed view of the blue reflection nebula IC 2631 around the young star HD 97300.<\/em><\/p>\n

Credit:\u00a0ESO\/N. Risinger (skysurvey.org<\/a>)\/Digitized Sky Survey 2. Music:\u00a0Johan B Monell<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

IC 2631 is illuminated by the star HD 97300<\/a>, one of the youngest \u2014 as well as most massive and brightest \u2014 stars in its neighbourhood. This region is full of star-making material, which is made evident by the presence of dark nebulae<\/a>\u00a0noticeable above and below IC 2631 in this picture. Dark nebulae are so dense with gas and dust that they prevent the passage of background starlight.<\/p>\n

Despite its dominating presence, the heft of HD 97300 should be kept in perspective. It is a T Tauri<\/a> star, the youngest visible stage for relatively small stars. As these stars mature and reach adulthood they will lose mass and shrink. But during the T Tauri phase these stars have not yet contracted to the more modest size that they will maintain for billions of years as\u00a0main sequence stars<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
A newly formed star lights up the surrounding cosmic clouds to create the blue reflection nebula IC 2631 at the centre of this striking panorama of gas and dust clouds in the southern constellation of Chameleon. This picture was created from images forming part of the Digitized Sky Survey 2.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

These fledging stars already have surface temperatures similar to their main sequence phase and accordingly, because T Tauri-phase objects are essentially jumbo versions of their later selves, they look brighter in their oversized youth than in maturity. They have not yet started to fuse hydrogen into helium in their cores, like normal main sequence stars, but are just starting to flex their thermal muscles by generating heat from contraction.<\/p>\n

Reflection nebula, like the one spawned by HD 97300, merely scatter starlight back out into space. Starlight that is more energetic, such as the ultraviolet radiation pouring forth from very hot new stars, can ionise nearby gas, making it emit light of its own. These emission nebulae<\/a> indicate the presence of hotter and more powerful stars, which in their maturity can be observed across thousands of light-years. HD 97300 is not so powerful, and its moment in the spotlight is destined not to last.<\/p>\n

http:\/\/cdn.eso.org\/videos\/medium_podcast\/eso1605b.mp4<\/a><\/video><\/div>\n

A newly formed star lights up the surrounding cosmic clouds in this close up look at an image from ESO\u2019s La Silla Observatory in Chile. Dust particles in the vast clouds that surround the star HD 97300 diffuse its light, like a car headlight in enveloping fog, and create the blue reflection nebula IC 2631. Although HD 97300 is in the spotlight for now, the very dust that makes it so hard to miss heralds the birth of additional, potentially scene-stealing, future stars.<\/em><\/p>\n

Credit:\u00a0ESO. Music:\u00a0Johan B Monell<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

More information<\/strong><\/p>\n

ESO is the foremost intergovernmental astronomy organisation in Europe and the world\u2019s most productive ground-based astronomical observatory by far. It is supported by 16 countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Finland, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, along with the host state of Chile. ESO carries out an ambitious programme focused on the design, construction and operation of powerful ground-based observing facilities enabling astronomers to make important scientific discoveries. ESO also plays a leading role in promoting and organising cooperation in astronomical research. ESO operates three unique world-class observing sites in Chile: La Silla, Paranal and Chajnantor. At Paranal, ESO operates the Very Large Telescope, the world\u2019s most advanced visible-light astronomical observatory and two survey telescopes. VISTA works in the infrared and is the world\u2019s largest survey telescope and the VLT Survey Telescope is the largest telescope designed to exclusively survey the skies in visible light. ESO is a major partner in ALMA, the largest astronomical project in existence. And on Cerro Armazones, close to Paranal, ESO is building the 39-metre European Extremely Large Telescope, the E-ELT, which will become \u201cthe world\u2019s biggest eye on the sky\u201d.<\/p>\n

\"eso1605b[1]\"<\/a>
This chart of the faint southern constellation of Chameleon (The Chameleon) shows most stars visible on a clear and dark night. The location of the reflection nebula IC 2631 around the young star HD 97300 is marked. Although the star can be seen in a small telescope, the surrounding nebula is too faint to be easily perceived, and shows itself best in photographs. Credit: ESO\/IAU and Sky & Telescope<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>Links<\/strong><\/p>\n