Protostar HH 34 in Orion

This image is an enlargement of a three-colour composite of the young object Herbig-Haro 34 (HH-34), now in the protostar stage of evolution. It is based on CCD frames obtained with the FORS2 instrument in imaging mode, on November 2 and 6, 1999. This object has a remarkable, very complicated appearance that includes two opposite jets that ram into the surrounding interstellar matter. This structure is produced by a machine-gun-like blast of "bullets" of dense gas ejected from the star at high velocities (approaching 250 km/sec). This seems to indicate that the star experiences episodic "outbursts" when large chunks of material fall onto it from a surrounding disc. HH-34 is located at a distance of approx. 1,500 light-years, near the famous Orion Nebula, one of the most productive star birth regions. Note also the enigmatic "waterfall" to the upper left, a feature that is still unexplained.

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso9948c
Type:Observation
Release date:17 November 1999
Related releases:eso9948
Size:802 x 895 px

About the Object

Name:HH 34
Type:Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Protostar
Distance:1500 light years
Constellation:Orion
Category:Nebulae

Image Formats

Large JPEG
271.5 KB
Screensize JPEG
345.7 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
350.2 KB
1280x1024
512.4 KB
1600x1200
653.5 KB
1920x1200
696.2 KB
2048x1536
906.7 KB

Coordinates

Position (RA):5 35 30.98
Position (Dec):-6° 28' 37.86"
Field of view:2.66 x 2.97 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.9° right of vertical

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
B
429 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS2
Optical
H-alpha
429 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS2
Optical
Sii
673 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS2