Around IRAS 13481-6124
The object IRAS 13481-6124, which consists of a young central star, about 20 times the mass of our Sun and 5 times its radius, surrounded by its pre-natal cocoon, is the first massive baby star for which astronomers could obtain an image of a dusty disc closely encircling it, providing direct evidence that massive stars do form in the same way as their smaller brethren — and closing an enduring debate.
IRAS 13481-6124 is located in the constellation of Centaurus, about 10 000 light-years away.
Credit:ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2
About the Image
| Id: | eso1029d |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 14 July 2010, 19:00 |
| Related releases: | eso1029 |
| Size: | 10661 x 10691 px |
About the Object
| Name: | IRAS 13481-6124 |
| Type: | Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Young Stellar Object |
| Distance: | 10000 light years |
| Constellation: | Centaurus |
| Category: | Stars |
Image Formats
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 13 51 37.84 |
| Position (Dec): | -61° 39' 7.79" |
| Field of view: | 179.10 x 179.61 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 1.7° right of vertical |
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Telescope |
|---|---|
| Optical B | Digitized Sky Survey 2 |
| Optical R | Digitized Sky Survey 2 |