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

Screensize JPEG
522.4 KB

Zoomable


Wallpapers

1024x768
638.7 KB
1280x1024
1.0 MB
1600x1200
1.4 MB
1920x1200
1.7 MB
2048x1536
2.2 MB

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

Colours & filters

BandWavelengthTelescope
Optical
G
480 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM
Optical
I
770 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM
Optical
R
625 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM
Optical
NB
852 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM