Zooming into NGC 3981

This zoom video starts with a wide view of the Milky Way and ends with a close-up look at the spiral galaxy NGC 3981 in the constellation of Crater (The Cup). The final view of this region was captured by FORS2, an instrument mounted on ESO’s Very Large Telescope, as part of the ESO Cosmic Gems Programme. This programme showcases the beauty of the southern skies when conditions don’t allow scientific observations to be made.