Comunicato Stampa

Sulle Tracce di un Gatto Cosmico

20 Gennaio 2010

L’ESO ha appena diffuso una nuova, sensazionale immagine della grande nube detta la “Nebulosa Zampa di Gatto” (Cat’s Paw Nebula) o NGC 6334. Questa complessa regione di gas e polveri, in cui vengono alla luce molte stelle massicce, si trova nei pressi del cuore della Via Lattea ed è fortemente oscurata da nubi di polvere che si trovano nel mezzo.

Pochi oggetti nel cielo sono stati soprannominati in modo così calzante come la “Nebulosa Zampa di Gatto”, una nube di gas incandescente che ricorda l’impronta gigante della zampa di un gatto celeste, uscito per una passeggiata attraverso l’Universo. L’astronomo britannico John Herschel fu il primo a notare NGC 6334 nel 1837, durante il suo soggiorno in Sud Africa. Nonostante l’utilizzo di quello che all’epoca era uno dei più grandi telescopi al mondo, pare che Herschel abbia osservato solo la parte più luminosa della nube, visibile qui in basso a sinistra.

NGC 6334 si trova a circa 5500 anni luce di distanza da noi, nella direzione della costellazione dello Scorpione, e ricopre un’area del cielo appena più grande della Luna piena. L’intera nube di gas ha un’estensione di circa 50 anni luce. La nebulosa appare di colore rosso perché la sua luce blu e verde viene dispersa ed assorbita in modo più efficace dal materiale che si trova tra la nebulosa e la Terra. La luce rossa è dovuta soprattutto all’idrogeno gassoso, che diventa incandescente sotto l’intensa luce delle stelle giovani e calde.

NGC 6334 è uno dei vivai di stelle massicce più attivi nella nostra galassia ed è stata largamente studiata dagli astronomi. La nebulosa cela brillanti stelle blu di recente formazione – ognuna con una massa pari a circa dieci volte quella del nostro Sole e nate negli ultimi milioni di anni. La regione ospita anche molte stelle appena nate, sepolte tra strati di polvere, il che ne rende difficile lo studio. In totale, la “Nebulosa Zampa di Gatto” potrebbe contenere diverse decine di centinaia di stelle.

Ciò che colpisce particolarmente è l’intricata bolla rossa nella parte dell’immagine in basso a destra. Si tratta molto probabilmente di una stella che sta espellendo una gran quantità di materia ad alta velocità durante una delle sue ultime fasi di vita, oppure di quel che resta di una stella che è già esplosa.

Questo nuovo ritratto della “Nebulosa Zampa di Gatto” è stato creato a partire da immagini ottenute con lo strumento Wide Field Imager (WFI) sul telescopio MPG/ESO di 2.2 metri, presso l’Osservatorio di La Silla in Cile, combinando immagini ottenute attraverso filtri blu, verdi e rossi, e uno speciale filtro creato per far passare la luce dell’idrogeno incandescente.

Ulteriori Informazioni

L’ESO (European Southern Observatory) è la principale organizzazione intergovernativa di Astronomia in Europa e l’osservatorio astronomico più produttivo al mondo. È sostenuto da 14 paesi: Austria, Belgio, Repubblica Ceca, Danimarca, Finlandia, Francia, Germania, Italia, Olanda, Portogallo, Spagna, Svezia, Svizzera e Gran Bretagna. L’ESO mette in atto un ambizioso programma che si concentra sulla progettazione, costruzione e gestione di potenti strutture astronomiche da terra che consentano agli astronomi di fare importanti scoperte scientifiche. L’ESO ha anche un ruolo preminente nel promuovere e organizzare cooperazione nella ricerca astronomica. L’ ESO gestisce tre siti unici di livello mondiale in Cile: La Silla, Paranal e Chajnantor. A Paranal, l’ESO gestisce il Very Large Telescope, l’osservatorio astronomico nella banda visibile più d’avanguardia al mondo. L’ESO è il partner europeo di un telescopio astronomico rivoluzionario, ALMA, il più grande progetto astronomico esistente. L’ESO sta pianificando al momento un Telescopio Europeo Estremamente Grande ottico/vicino-infrarosso di 42 metri, l’E-ELT, che diventerà “il più grande occhio del mondo rivolto al cielo”.

Contatti

Henri Boffin
ESO La Silla-Paranal/E-ELT Press Officer
Garching, Germany
Tel.: +49 89 3200 6222
E-mail: hboffin@eso.org

Anna Wolter (press contact Italia)
Rete di divulgazione scientifica dell'ESO e INAF-Osservatorio Astronomico di Brera
Milano, Italy
Tel.: +39 02 72320321
E-mail: eson-italy@eso.org

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Questa è una traduzione del Comunicato Stampa dell'ESO eso1003.

Sul Comunicato Stampa

Comunicato Stampa N":eso1003it
Nome:NGC 6334
Tipo:Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Star Formation
Facility:MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope
Instruments:WFI

Immagini

The Cat's Paw Nebula*
The Cat's Paw Nebula*
soltanto in inglese
Around the Cat's Paw Nebula
Around the Cat's Paw Nebula
soltanto in inglese

Video

Zooming into the Cat's Paw Nebula
Zooming into the Cat's Paw Nebula
soltanto in inglese
Panning across the Cat’s Paw Nebula
Panning across the Cat’s Paw Nebula
soltanto in inglese

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