The Cat’s Paw Nebula as seen by CONCERTO

This image of the star-forming region NGC 6334, also known as the Cat’s Paw Nebula, is one of the first-light images taken by the CONCERTO instrument on the APEX telescope, operated by ESO. The total integration time is 16 minutes.

CONCERTO is able to scan the sky at frequencies between infrared and radio waves and has been designed to look at radiation emitted by ionised carbon atoms, one of the most valuable tracers of star formation in the early cosmic ages.