Orion in the Infrared

Spitzer_ssc2006-16a1_1024

spitzer_ssc2006-16a1 August 14th, 2006

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Megeath (University of Toledo, Ohio)

This infrared image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows the Orion nebula, our closest massive star-making factory, 1,450 light-years from Earth. The nebula is close enough to appear to the naked eye as a fuzzy star in the sword of the popular hunter constellation.

The nebula itself is located on the lower half of the image, surrounded by a ring of dust. It formed in a cold cloud of gas and dust and contains about 1,000 young stars. These stars illuminate the cloud, creating the beautiful nebulosity, or swirls of material, seen here in infrared.

This image shows infrared light captured by Spitzer's infrared array camera. Light with wavelengths of 8 and 5.8 microns (red and orange) comes mainly from dust that has been heated by starlight. Light of 4.5 microns (green) shows hot gas and dust; and light of 3.6 microns (blue) is from starlight.

Above the Orion nebula, where the massive stars have not yet ejected much of the obscuring dust, the infrared view penetrates the dark lanes of dust, revealing bright swirling clouds and numerous developing stars that have shot out jets of gas (green). This is because infrared light can travel through dust.The infrared image shows light captured by Spitzer's infrared array camera. Light with wavelengths of 8 and 5.8 microns (red and orange) comes mainly from dust that has been heated by starlight. Light of 4.5 microns (green) shows hot gas and dust; and light of 3.6 microns (blue) is from starlight.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1645-ssc2006-16a1-Orion-in-the-Infrared

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

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

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Orion Nebula Messier 42 M42 NGC 1976
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Star Formation

Distance

Universescale1
1,450 light years
Spitzer_ssc2006-16a1_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 5h 35m 16.3s
DEC = -6° 0’ 51.2”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
0.8 x 1.4 degrees
Constellation
Orion

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Green Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Orange Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 5.8 µm
Red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 8.0 µm
Spectrum_base
Blue
Green
Orange
Red
Spitzer_ssc2006-16a1_1280
×
ID
ssc2006-16a1
Subject Category
B.4.1.2.  
Subject Name
Orion Nebula, Messier 42, M42, NGC 1976
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/T. Megeath (University of Toledo, Ohio)
Release Date
2006-08-14
Lightyears
1,450
Redshift
1,450
Reference Url
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1645-ssc2006-16a1-Orion-in-the-Infrared
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Distance from fast facts
Facility
Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer
Instrument
IRAC, IRAC, IRAC, IRAC
Color Assignment
Blue, Green, Orange, Red
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR, Mid-IR, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
3600, 4500, 5800, 8000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
J2000
Reference Value
83.817861908794939, -6.0142202087620964
Reference Dimension
3220, 6000
Reference Pixel
1314.11547852, 459.24243164
Scale
-0.00023968074797943, 0.00023968074797943
Rotation
-0.0327671586216
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
ssc2006-16a1.tif
Metadata Date
2012-03-20
Metadata Version
1.1
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
1,450 light years

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