The star cluster Messier 18 and its surroundings
The small smattering of bright blue stars upper left of centre in this huge 615 megapixel ESO image is the perfect cosmic laboratory in which to study the life and death of stars. Known as Messier 18 this open star cluster contains stars that formed together from the same massive cloud of gas and dust. This image was captured by the OmegaCAM camera attached to the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) located at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile.
Credit:ESO
About the Image
| Id: | eso1628a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 10 August 2016, 12:00 |
| Related releases: | eso1628 |
| Size: | 30577 x 20108 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Messier 18 |
| Type: | Milky Way : Star : Grouping : Cluster : Open |
| Constellation: | Sagittarius |
| Category: | Star Clusters |
Image Formats
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 18 17 51.10 |
| Position (Dec): | -17° 19' 44.98" |
| Field of view: | 109.10 x 71.75 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 0.1° left of vertical |
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical G | 480 nm | VLT Survey Telescope OmegaCAM |
| Optical I | 770 nm | VLT Survey Telescope OmegaCAM |
| Optical R | 625 nm | VLT Survey Telescope OmegaCAM |
| Optical NB | 852 nm | VLT Survey Telescope OmegaCAM |