Infrared/visible cross-fade of the VISTA Tarantula Nebula image

This video sequence fades between the view of the region around the Tarantula Nebula in visible and near-infrared light. The visible light image was obtained with Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile and the new near-infrared image was obtained with the VISTA survey telescope at the Paranal Observatory. In the infrared the gas and dust are much less prominent and many more stars become apparent.