Wide-field view of the Lupus 3 dark cloud and associated hot young stars

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This wide-field view shows a dark cloud where new stars are forming along with cluster of brilliant stars that have already burst out of their dusty stellar nursery. This cloud is known as Lupus 3 and it lies about 600 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Scorpius (The Scorpion). It is likely that the Sun formed in a similar star formation region more than four billion years ago. This view was created from images forming part of the Digitized Sky Survey 2.

Credit:

ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2
Acknowledgement: Davide De Martin

Usage of ESO Images and Videos

About the Image

Id:	eso1303c
Type:	Observation
Release date:	16 January 2013, 12:00
Related releases:	eso1303
Size:	10573 x 10570 px

About the Object

Name:	Lupus 3
Type:	• Milky Way : Nebula : Appearance : Dark • X - Nebulae
Distance:	600 light years

Coordinates

Position (RA):	16h 9m 36.08s
Position (Dec):	-39° 2' 59.24"
Field of view:	177.67 x 177.62 arcminutes
Orientation:	North is 0.9° left of vertical