Giant cosmic networks

Sometimes dramatic events are needed to create something stunning. This beautiful structure of filaments and clouds in the southern constellation of Vela are all that remains of a massive star that died in a powerful explosion known as supernova. This is a small section of a larger image taken using the wide-field camera OmegaCAM at the VLT Survey Telescope (VST). Hosted at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in the Chilean desert, the VST is one of the best telescopes in the world to take large images of the sky in visible light.

Even though bright stars populate this image, it's hard to not be captivated by the pink gaseous clouds filling up the frame. Some tiny, others thicker, the filaments stretch outwards like tentacles. As they intertwine and cling together, an intricate network is formed which mixes with blurred clouds. But how did they come to be like this?

Around 11 000 years ago, a massive star exploded as a supernova, ejecting its outer layers. The explosion also generated shock waves which traveled outwards, compressing the gas around the star and creating the intricate network visible in the image. The result of such explosions are called supernova remnants. At 800 light years away from Earth, the Vela supernova remnant is one of the closest known to us.

Źródło:

ESO/VPHAS+ team. Acknowledgement: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit

O zdjęciu

Identyfikator:potw2322a
Typ:Obserwacje
Data publikacji:29 maja 2023 06:00
Rozmiar:6697 x 6698 px

O obiekcie

Nazwa:Vela Supernova Remnant
Typ:Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Supernova Remnant
Odległość:800 lat świetlnych
Constellation:Vela
Kategoria:Nebulae

Formaty zdjęć

Pełen rozmiar
84,1 MB
Wielki JPEG
12,9 MB
JPEG do druku
4,4 MB

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1024x768
361,2 KB
1280x1024
546,7 KB
1600x1200
733,7 KB
1920x1200
825,9 KB
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1,1 MB

Współrzędne

Pozycja (RA):8 33 49.52
Pozycja (Dec):-43° 39' 4.37"
Pole widzenia:24.62 x 24.63 arcminutes
Orientacja:North is 0.4° lewo of vertical

Kolory i filtry

PasmoDługość faliTeleskop
Optyczny
u
350 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM
Optyczny
g
480 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM
Optyczny
r
625 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM
Optyczny
H-alpha
659 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM
Optyczny
i
770 nmVLT Survey Telescope
OmegaCAM