Lola Gayle, STEAM Register
Messier 78 (also known as M78 or NGC 2068) is a well-studied reflection nebula located approximately 1600 light-years away in the constellation of Orion (see star map), just to the upper left of the three stars that make up the belt of this familiar landmark in the sky. It was discovered by Pierre Méchain in 1780 and included by Charles Messier in his catalog of comet-like objects that same year.
This video takes a close-up look at a richly detailed new view of the star formation region Messier 78, in the constellation of Orion (The Hunter), taken with the VISTA infrared survey telescope at ESO’s Paranal Observatory in Chile. As well as the blue regions of reflected light from the hot young stars the image also shows streams of dark dust and the red jets emerging from stars in the process of formation. Credit: ESO/N. Risinger (skysurvey.org). Music: Johan B. Monell
To the naked eye and smaller visible light telescopes, most of the young stars within this nebula are hidden behind an immense cocoon of cosmic dust. Two blue supergiant stars of 10th magnitude — HD 38563A and HD 38563B — are responsible for making the cloud of dust visible by reflecting their light — hence the moniker of reflection nebula.
But what if astronomers want to see behind the veil of dust and probe deep into the heart of the stellar environment? They break out the cosmic dustbuster! ESO’s Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) can see near-infrared light and therefore easily penetrates right through all that dust.
Messier 78’s dark ribbons are actually thick clouds of dust that block the visible light originating behind them. These dense, cold regions are prime locations for the formation of new stars. When Messier 78 and its neighbors are observed in the submillimeter light between radio waves and infrared light, for example with the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) telescope, they reveal the glow of dust grains in pockets just barely warmer than their extremely cold surroundings. Eventually new stars will form out of these pockets as gravity causes them to shrink and heat up.
See Also: Cosmic Wonders – Milky Way Destined For Head-On Collision With Andromeda
In between visible and submillimeter light lies the near-infrared part of the spectrum, where VISTA provides astronomers with crucial information. Beyond dusty reflections and through thinner portions of obscuring material, the luminous stellar sources within Messier 78 are visible to VISTA’s eyes. In the center of this image, the two blue supergiant stars shine brightly. Towards the right of the image, the supergiant star illuminating NGC 2071, called HD 290861, is also seen.
Comparisons between parts of the Messier 78 region in visible and infrared light. Credit: ESO/Igor Chekalin
Besides being able to see big, blue, hot stars, VISTA can also see many stars that are just forming within the cosmic dust strewn about this region, their reddish and yellow colors shown clearly in this image. These colorful fledgling stars can be found in the dust bands around NGC 2071 and along the trail of dust running towards the left of the image. Some of these are T Tauri stars. Although relatively bright, they are not yet hot enough for nuclear fusion reactions to have commenced in their cores. In several tens of millions of years, they will attain full “starhood,” and will take their place alongside their stellar brethren lighting up the Messier 78 region.
This comparison sequence switches between a visible light view of the reflection nebula Messier 78, and its surroundings, from the WFI camera on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope, and an infrared view from the VISTA telescope. In the infrared the dust is more transparent and many new features appear. In addition the red jets of material from very young stars can be seen prominently. Credit: ESO/Igor Chekalin. Music: Johan B. Monell
NOTE: Messier 78 is part of the Orion Molecular Cloud Complex, an immense star forming region that also includes the famous Orion Nebula, De Mairan’s Nebula (Messier 43), the Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33), the Lambda Orionis molecular ring, the emission nebula Barnard’s Loop, and the Flame Nebula. Learn more about the Flame Nebula here.
See Also: Cosmic Wonders – The Reflection Nebula in Orion
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