The brilliant star VFTS 682 in the Large Magellanic Cloud
This view shows part of the very active star-forming region around the Tarantula Nebula in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a small neighbour of the Milky Way. At the exact centre lies the brilliant but isolated star VFTS 682 and to its lower right the very rich star cluster R 136. The origins of VFTS 682 are unclear — was it ejected from R 136 or did it form on its own? The star appears yellow-red in this view, which includes both visible-light and infrared images from the Wide Field Imager at the 2.2-metre MPG/ESO telescope at La Silla and the 4.1-metre infrared VISTA telescope at Paranal, because of the effects of dust.
Credit:ESO/M.-R. Cioni/VISTA Magellanic Cloud survey. Acknowledgment: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit
About the Image
| Id: | eso1117a |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 25 May 2011, 12:00 |
| Related releases: | eso1117 |
| Size: | 1832 x 1836 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Large Magellanic Cloud, LMC, Tarantula Nebula, VFTS 682, Wolf-Rayet Star |
| Type: | Local Universe : Star : Type : Wolf-Rayet Local Universe : Galaxy : Type : Irregular |
| Distance: | 170000 light years |
| Constellation: | Dorado |
| Category: | Star Clusters Stars |
Wallpapers
Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 5 38 37.98 |
| Position (Dec): | -69° 5' 42.18" |
| Field of view: | 10.54 x 10.56 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 0.2° right of vertical |
View in WorldWide Telescope:
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical V | 539 nm | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Infrared Y | 1.02 μm | Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy VIRCAM |
| Optical R | 651 nm | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Infrared J | 1.25 μm | Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy VIRCAM |
| Infrared K | 2.15 μm | Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy VIRCAM |