Around IRAS 13481-6124

The object IRAS 13481-6124, which consists of a young central star, about 20 times the mass of our Sun and 5 times its radius, surrounded by its pre-natal cocoon, is the first massive baby star for which astronomers could obtain an image of a dusty disc closely encircling it, providing direct evidence that massive stars do form in the same way as their smaller brethren — and closing an enduring debate.

IRAS 13481-6124 is located in the constellation of Centaurus, about 10 000 light-years away.

Credit:

ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2

About the Image

Id:eso1029d
Type:Observation
Release date:14 July 2010, 19:00
Related releases:eso1029
Size:10661 x 10691 px

About the Object

Name:IRAS 13481-6124
Type:Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Young Stellar Object
Distance:10000 light years
Constellation:Centaurus
Category:Stars

Image Formats

Large JPEG
48.8 MB
Screensize JPEG
764.6 KB

Zoomable


Wallpapers

1024x768
493.4 KB
1280x1024
867.3 KB
1600x1200
1.3 MB
1920x1200
1.6 MB
2048x1536
2.2 MB

Coordinates

Position (RA):13 51 37.84
Position (Dec):-61° 39' 7.79"
Field of view:179.10 x 179.61 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 1.7° right of vertical

Colours & filters

BandTelescope
Optical
B
Digitized Sky Survey 2
Optical
R
Digitized Sky Survey 2