Das Very Large Telescope der ESO blickt tief in einen fernen Nebel
Mit dem Very Large Telescope (VLT), das die ESO am Paranal-Observatorium in Chile betreibt, haben Astronomen ein beeindruckendes Bild von Messier 17aufgenommen, der uch Omega- oder Schwanennebel genannt wird. Das beinahe an ein Gemälde erinnernde Bild zeigt riesige Wolken aus Gas und Staub, die von der intensiven Strahlung junger Sterne beleuchtet werden.
Abgebildet ist hier die etwa 15 Lichtjahre durchmessende Zentralregion des Nebels. Insgesamt erstreckt sich Messier 17, der etwa 6000 Lichtjahre von uns entfernt im Sternbild Sagittarius (der Schütze) liegt, über etwa 40 Lichtjahre. Der Nebel ist ein beliebtes Beobachtungsobjekt für Amateurastronomen, die bereits mit kleinen Teleskopen sehr schöne Bilder von Messier 17 aufnehmen können.
Die hier gezeigten tiefen VLT-Beobachtungen wurden im nahen Infrarotlicht mit dem ISAAC-Instrument durchgeführt. Verwendet wurden dazu die Filter J (1,25 µm, blau dargestellt), H (1,6 µm, grün), und K (2,2 µm, rot). In der Bildmitte befindet sich ein Haufen massereicher junger Sterne, deren Strahlung den Wasserstoff in ihrer Umgebung zum Leuchten anregt. Rechts unterhalb des Sternhaufens liegt eine große Molekülwolke. Im sichtbaren Spektralbereich absorbieren die Staubkörner in der Wolke fast sämtliches Licht und versperren so unseren Blick. Im Infrarotbereich jedoch schimmert das Leuchten des hinter der Wolke liegenden Wasserstoffgases leicht durch. In dieser tiefrot erscheinenden Region versteckt entdeckten die Astronomen die dunkle Silhouette einer Gas- und Staubscheibe. Obwohl die Scheibe im hier gezeigten Bild sehr klein erscheint hat sie in Wahrheit einen Durchmesser von etwa 20.000 Astronomischen Einheiten, und ist damit viel größer als unser Sonnensystem (1 AE entspricht der Entfernung von der Erde zur Sonne). Die Wissenschaftler vermuten, dass die Scheibe rotiert und einen in ihrem Zentrum gelegenen Protostern mit Materie füttert – wir beobachten hier ein frühes Stadium der Geburt eines neuen Sterns.
Dieses Bild ist aufgezogen im ESOshop erhältlich.
Links
- Die wissenschaftlichen Arbeiten, für die die hier gezeigten Aufnahmen ursprünglich gewonnen wurden, werden in der ESO-Pressemitteilung eso0416 beschrieben.
ESO/R. Chini
Über das Bild
| ID: | potw1044a |
| Sprache: | de |
| Typ: | Beobachtung |
| Veröffentlichungsdatum: | 1. November 2010 10:00 |
| Größe: | 2487 x 2513 px |
Über das Objekt
| Name: | M 17, Messier 17, Omega Nebula |
| Typ: | Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Star Formation Milky Way : Nebula : Appearance : Emission |
| Entfernung: | 5500 Lichtjahre |
| Constellation: | Sagittarius |
Bildschirm-Hintergrundbilder
Koordinaten
| Position (RA): | 18 20 38.48 |
| Position (Dec): | -16° 8' 31.38" |
| Field of view: | 6.13 x 6.20 arcminutes |
| Orientierung: | Die Nordrichtung liegt 180.0° links zur Vertikale |
Farben & Filter
| Spektralbereich | Wellenlänge | Teleskop |
|---|---|---|
| Infrarot J | 1.25 μm | Very Large Telescope ISAAC |
| Infrarot H | 1.6 μm | Very Large Telescope ISAAC |
| Infrarot K | 2.2 μm | Very Large Telescope ISAAC |
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