Spitzer/MIPS 24-micron image of a dark globule in IC 1396

Spitzer_ssc2003-06b2_1024

spitzer_ssc2003-06b2 December 18th, 2003

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/W. Reach (SSC/Caltech)

This NASA Spitzer Space Telescope image reveals a glowing stellar nursery within a dark globule that is opaque in visible light. Spitzer pierces through the obscuration to reveal the birth of new protostars, or embryonic stars, and young stars never before seen.

The Elephant's Trunk Nebula is an elongated dark globule within the emission nebula IC 1396 in the constellation of Cepheus. Located at a distance of 2,450 light-years, the globule is a condensation of dense gas that is barely surviving the strong ionizing radiation from a nearby massive star. The globule is being compressed by the surrounding ionized gas.

The Spitzer image is from the observatory's multiband imaging photometer which measures thermal emission at 24 microns. Within the globule, a half dozen newly discovered protostars are discernible as the bright red-tinted objects, mostly along the southern rim of the globule. These were previously undetected at visible wavelengths due to obscuration by the thick cloud ('globule body') and by dust surrounding the newly forming stars. The newborn stars form in the dense gas because of compression by the wind and radiation from a nearby massive star (located outside the field of view to the left). The winds from this unseen star are also responsible for producing the spectacular filamentary appearance of the globule itself, which resembles that of a flying dragon.

The Spitzer Space Telescope also sees many newly discovered young stars, often enshrouded in dust, which may be starting the nuclear fusion that defines a star. These young stars are too cool to be seen at visible wavelengths. Both the protostars and young stars are bright in the mid-infrared because of their surrounding discs of solid material. A few of the visible-light stars in this image were found to have excess infrared emission, suggesting they are more mature stars surrounded by primordial remnants from their formation, or from crumbling asteroids and comets in their planetary systems.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1063-ssc2003-06b2-Spitzer-MIPS-24-micron-image-of-a-dark-globule-in-IC-1396-

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

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Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Elephant's Trunk Nebula IC 1396 Globule Trumpler 37
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Star Formation
Nebula > Appearance > Dark > Bok Globule
Nebula > Appearance > Emission

Distance

Universescale1
2,450 light years
Spitzer_ssc2003-06b2_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 21h 36m 0.5s
DEC = 57° 20’ 28.0”
Orientation
North is 14.0° CCW
Field of View
17.5 x 18.4 arcminutes
Constellation
Cepheus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-Infrared) 3.6 µm
Blue Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-Infrared) 4.5 µm
Green Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-Infrared) 5.8 µm
Green Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-Infrared) 8.0 µm
Red Spitzer (MIPS) Infrared (Mid-Infrared) 24.0 µm
Multiple image collage; colors correspond to main image
Spectrum_ir1
Blue
Blue
Green
Green
Red
Spitzer_ssc2003-06b2_1280
×
ID
ssc2003-06b2
Subject Category
B.4.1.2.   B.4.2.3.2.   B.4.2.1.  
Subject Name
Elephant's Trunk Nebula, IC 1396 Globule, Trumpler 37
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/W. Reach (SSC/Caltech)
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Distance from fast facts
Facility
Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer
Instrument
IRAC, IRAC, IRAC, IRAC, MIPS
Color Assignment
Blue, Blue, Green, Green, Red
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-Infrared, Near-Infrared, Mid-Infrared, Mid-Infrared, Mid-Infrared
Central Wavelength
3600, 4500, 5800, 8000, 24000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
M
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
Reference Value
324.002167372, 57.3411033796
Reference Dimension
869, 911
Reference Pixel
560.148353577, 114.534042358
Scale
-0.00033605382133014, 0.00033605382133014
Rotation
14.049462045345
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
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2003-06b2.tif
Metadata Date
2012-10-11
Metadata Version
1.1
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
2,450 light years

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