Images of the silhouette disc and the bipolar reflection Nebula

Collection of images of the silhouette disc and, perpendicular to that, the bipolar reflection nebula of a young, massive star in M 17. These images were obtained in different optical and near-infrared wavebands with different instruments: EMMI at the ESO New Technology Telescope on La Silla (top row; wavelengths 0.45 [B-band], 0.55 [V-band], 0.8 µm [I-band], respectively) and ISAAC at the ESO Very Large Telescope on Cerro Paranal (bottom row; 1.25 [J], 1.65 [H] and 2.2 µm [K]). All images are centred on the central massive protostar and cover an area of 30 x 30 square arcsec, corresponding to 1.0 x 1.0 square light-years at the distance of M 17 (about 7,000 light-years). The obscuration diminishes with increasing wavelength and the background emission of the H II region becomes more and more evident (represented by entirely black colours at K).

Credit:

ESO

About the Image

Id:eso0416e
Type:Observation
Release date:12 May 2004
Related releases:eso0416
Size:895 x 599 px

About the Object

Name:Messier 17
Type:Milky Way : Star
Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Star Formation
Distance:5500 light years
Category:Nebulae

Image Formats

Large JPEG
130.6 KB
Screensize JPEG
133.5 KB

Wallpapers

1024x768
165.8 KB
1280x1024
223.3 KB
1600x1200
288.3 KB
1920x1200
321.0 KB
2048x1536
390.7 KB

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
B
450 nmNew Technology Telescope
EMMI
Optical
V
550 nmNew Technology Telescope
EMMI
Infrared
I
800 nmNew Technology Telescope
EMMI
Infrared
J
1.25 μmVery Large Telescope
ISAAC
Infrared
H
1.65 μmVery Large Telescope
ISAAC
Infrared
K
2.2 μmVery Large Telescope
ISAAC