The Coronet Cluster in X-Ray and Infrared

Spitzer_sig07-017_1024

spitzer_sig07-017 September 13th, 2007

Credit: NASA/CXC/J. Forbrich (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA), NASA/JPL-Caltech L.Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA) and the IRAC GTO Team

While perhaps not quite as well known as its star-formation cousin Orion, the Corona Australis region (containing, at its heart, the Coronet cluster) is one of the nearest and most active regions of ongoing star formation. At only about 420 light-years away, the Coronet is over three times closer than the Orion nebula is to Earth. The Coronet contains a loose cluster of a few dozen young stars with a wide range of masses and at various stages of evolution, giving astronomers an opportunity to observe embryonic stars simultaneously in several wavelengths.

This composite image shows the Coronet in X-rays from Chandra (purple) and infrared from Spitzer (orange, green, and cyan). The Spitzer image shows young stars plus diffuse emission from dust. Due to the host of young stars in different life stages in the Coronet, astronomers can use these data to pinpoint details of how the youngest stars evolve.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2113-sig07-017-The-Coronet-Cluster-in-X-Ray-and-Infrared-

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Public Domain

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Coronet Cluster
Subject - Milky Way
Star > Grouping > Cluster
Star > Evolutionary Stage > Young Stellar Object
Nebula > Type > Star Formation
Nebula > Appearance > Emission

Distance

Universescale1
424 light years
Spitzer_sig07-017_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 19h 1m 47.6s
DEC = -36° 58’ 32.8”
Orientation
North is 0.2° CW
Field of View
16.9 x 16.9 arcminutes
Constellation
Corona Australis

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Purple Chandra (ACIS:IRAC) X-ray (X-ray) 826.7 pm
Cyan Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Green Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Red Spitzer Infrared (Mid-IR) 8.0 µm
Spectrum_xray1
Purple
Cyan
Green
Red
Spitzer_sig07-017_1280
×
ID
sig07-017
Subject Category
B.3.6.4   B.3.1.2   B.4.1.2   B.4.2.1  
Subject Name
Coronet Cluster
Credits
NASA/CXC/J. Forbrich (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA), NASA/JPL-Caltech L.Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA) and the IRAC GTO Team
Release Date
2007-09-13
Lightyears
424
Redshift
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/2113-sig07-017-The-Coronet-Cluster-in-X-Ray-and-Infrared-
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Distance taken for Fast Facts.
Facility
Chandra, Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer
Instrument
ACIS:IRAC, IRAC, IRAC
Color Assignment
Purple, Cyan, Green, Red
Band
X-ray, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
X-ray, Near-IR, Near-IR, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
0.8267, 3600, 4500, 8000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
285.44843056289716, -36.975765592553756
Reference Dimension
3300.0, 3300.0
Reference Pixel
1650, 1650
Scale
-8.5123855701723676E-05, 8.5123855701723676E-05
Rotation
-0.245107561636
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Spitzer Space Telescope
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
Public Domain
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
sig07-017.tif
Metadata Date
2011-09-06
Metadata Version
1.1
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Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

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Universescalefull
424 light years

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