| Basic Information | |
| What is this? | An image towards the centre of our Galaxy |
| Where is it in the sky? | The centre of the image is in the constellation of Ophiuchus |
| How big is it? | The image is around 50 degrees across |
| How far away is it? | Most of the material is hundreds or thousands of light years away |
| What do the colours represent? | Redder colours show colder material, while whitish tones show warmer dust |
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Image Credit: ESA / HFI / IRAS
This image is directed roughly towards the centre of our Galaxy, and shows cold dust laced between the stars. The colder material looks redder in this image, which is created by combining Planck data with shorter wavelength data from NASA’s IRAS satellite. The plane of our Galaxy is seen running across the bottom, with the Galactic centre in the lower-right. The “forked” feature on the right is a cloud of gas and dust around the star rho Ophiuchi, and is a region where stars are currently forming.
Detailed Information
Object Name:
Ophiuchus
Type of Object:
Region of Sky
Image Scale:
50 degrees across
Constellation:
Ophiuchius the Serpent Bearer
Instrument:
HFI and IRAS
Date of Release:
17/03/2010