ESO’s 60th anniversary image: the Cone Nebula as seen by the VLT
The Cone Nebula is part of a star-forming region of space, NGC 2264, about 2500 light-years away. Its pillar-like appearance is a perfect example of the shapes that can develop in giant clouds of cold molecular gas and dust, known for creating new stars. This dramatic new view of the nebula was captured with the FOcal Reducer and low dispersion Spectrograph 2 (FORS2) instrument on ESO’s Very Large Telescope (VLT), and released on the occasion of ESO’s 60th anniversary.
Credit:ESO
About the Image
| Id: | eso2215a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 10 November 2022, 14:00 |
| Related releases: | eso2215 |
| Size: | 1639 x 1682 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Cone Nebula, NGC 2264 |
| Type: | Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Star Formation |
| Constellation: | Monoceros |
| Category: | Nebulae |
Wallpapers
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 6 41 13.41 |
| Position (Dec): | 9° 24' 3.95" |
| Field of view: | 6.88 x 7.06 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 10.4° left of vertical |
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical H-alpha | 660 nm | Very Large Telescope FORS2 |
| Optical SII | 677 nm | Very Large Telescope FORS2 |