The Lupus 3 dark cloud and associated hot young stars
This evocative image shows a dark cloud where new stars are forming along with a cluster of brilliant stars that have already emerged from their dusty stellar nursery. This cloud is known as Lupus 3 and it lies about 600 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Scorpius (The Scorpion). It is likely that the Sun formed in a similar star formation region more than four billion years ago. This picture was taken with the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at the La Silla Observatory in Chile and is the best image ever taken of this little-known object.
Credit:ESO/F. Comeron
About the Image
| Id: | eso1303a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 16 January 2013, 12:00 |
| Related releases: | eso1303 |
| Size: | 8828 x 8607 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Lupus 3 |
| Type: | Milky Way : Nebula : Appearance : Dark |
| Distance: | 600 light years |
| Constellation: | Scorpius |
| Category: | Nebulae |
Image Formats
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 16 9 36.08 |
| Position (Dec): | -39° 2' 59.24" |
| Field of view: | 35.03 x 34.15 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 0.1° left of vertical |
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical B | 451 nm | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical V | 539 nm | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical Rc | 651 nm | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Optical SII | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |