Location of VFTS 352 in the Large Magellanic Cloud
This image shows the location of VFTS 352 — the hottest and most massive double star system to date where the two components are in contact and sharing material. The two stars in this extreme system lie about 160 000 light-years from Earth in the Large Magellanic Cloud. This intriguing system could be heading for a dramatic end, either merging to form a single giant star or forming a binary black hole.
This view of the Tarantula star-forming region includes visible-light images from the Wide Field Imager at the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at La Silla and infrared images from the 4.1-metre infrared VISTA telescope at Paranal.
Credit:ESO/M.-R. Cioni/VISTA Magellanic Cloud survey.
Acknowledgment: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit
About the Image
| Id: | eso1540b |
| Type: | Artwork |
| Release date: | 21 October 2015, 12:00 |
| Related releases: | eso1540 |
| Size: | 2680 x 2680 px |
About the Object
| Name: | VFTS 352 |
| Type: | Local Universe : Star : Grouping : Multiple |
| Distance: | 160000 light years |
| Category: | Stars |
Colours & filters
| Band | Telescope |
|---|---|
| Optical V | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Infrared V | Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy |
| Optical R | MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope WFI |
| Infrared J | Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy |
| Infrared K | Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy |