Dark Energy Camera Captures Bright, Young Stars Blazing Inside Glowing Nebula

This image, taken by astronomers using the US Department of Energy-fabricated Dark Energy Camera on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope at Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, a Program of NSF’s NOIRLab, captures the star-forming nebula NGC 6357, which is located 8000 light-years away in the direction of the constellation Scorpius. This image reveals bright, young stars surrounded by billowing clouds of dust and gas inside NGC 6357, which is also known as the Lobster Nebula. 

Credit:

CTIO/NOIRLab/DOE/NSF/AURA

T.A. Rector (University of Alaska Anchorage/NSF’s NOIRLab), J. Miller (Gemini Observatory/NSF’s NOIRLab), M. Zamani & D. de Martin (NSF’s NOIRLab)

About the Image

Id:noirlab2221a
Type:Observation
Release date:Sept. 12, 2022, 9 a.m.
Related releases:noirlab2221
Size:21135 x 17523 px

About the Object

Name:NGC 6357
Constellation:Scorpius
Category:Nebulae

Image Formats

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Coordinates

ObjectValue
Position (RA):17 25 0.54
Position (Dec):-34° 12' 27.49"
Field of view:95.18 x 78.91 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 0.0° left of vertical


Colors & filters

BandWave-lengthTele-scope
Optical
G
477 nmVíctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope
DECam
Optical
I
774 nmVíctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope
DECam
Optical
H-alpha
662 nmVíctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope
DECam