Star-forming region NGC 346

NGC 346, the brightest star-forming region in the neighbouring Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy, some 210,000 light-years away from Earth. The light, wind and heat given off by massive stars have dispersed the glowing gas within and around this star cluster, forming a surrounding wispy nebular structure that looks like a cobweb. NGC 346 is located in the constellation Tucana (the Toucan) and spans approximately 200 light-years. This particular image was obtained using the Wide Field Imager instrument at the 2.2-metre MPG/ESO telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile. Images like this help astronomers chronicle star birth and evolution, while offering glimpses of how stellar development influences the appearance of the cosmic environment over time. This is an enhanced colour image based on three different broadband filters (B, V, R), as well as a narrowband filter (H-alpha, shown in blue). The field of view is about 30 arcminutes wide.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso1008a
Type:Observation
Release date:24 February 2010, 12:00
Related releases:eso1008
Size:7699 x 7699 px

About the Object

Name:NGC 346, Small Magellanic Cloud
Type:Local Universe : Nebula : Type : Star Formation
Distance:200000 light years
Constellation:Tucana
Category:Nebulae

Image Formats

Large JPEG
21.1 MB
Screensize JPEG
670.9 KB

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1024x768
608.3 KB
1280x1024
1019.4 KB
1600x1200
1.4 MB
1920x1200
1.6 MB
2048x1536
2.2 MB

Coordinates

Position (RA):0 59 18.02
Position (Dec):-72° 10' 48.48"
Field of view:30.53 x 30.53 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.0° left of vertical