The brilliant star VFTS 682 in the Large Magellanic Cloud (annotated)
This view shows part of the very active star-forming region around the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small neighbour of the Milky Way. At the upper left is the brilliant but isolated star VFTS 682 and at the lower right is the very rich star cluster R 136. The origins of VFTS 682 are unclear — was it ejected from R 136 or did it form on its own? The star appears yellow-red in this view, which includes both visible-light and infrared images from the Wide Field Imager at the 2.2-metre MPG/ESO telescope at La Silla and the 4.1-metre infrared VISTA telescope at Paranal, because of the effects of dust.
Credit:ESO/M.-R. Cioni/VISTA Magellanic Cloud survey. Acknowledgment: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit
About the Image
| Id: | eso1117b |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 25 May 2011, 12:00 |
| Related releases: | eso1117 |
| Size: | 622 x 858 px |
About the Object
| Name: | VFTS 682 |
| Type: | Local Universe : Star : Type : Wolf-Rayet |
| Distance: | 170000 light years |
| Constellation: | Dorado |
| Category: | Nebulae Star Clusters |
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 5 38 42.61 |
| Position (Dec): | -69° 6' 3.89" |
Colours & filters
| Band | Telescope |
|---|---|
| Optical V | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Infrared Y | Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy |
| Optical R | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Infrared J | Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy |
| Infrared K | Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy |