In a stunning new image released established by the VLT Survey Telescope, we can see wispy tendrils of gas, tangling into an intricate web of filaments and knots. The whole massive structure is illuminated by the residues of the dead star that developed it.
The VLT Survey Telescope, hosted at the European Southern Observatories Paranal website in Chile, created this mosaic utilizing its wide-field cam. Each image taken by the telescope includes over 268 million pixels, and this particular image is a mosaic of several different observations. In total 9 moons might fit across the width of the image.
Astronomical images continue to delight, and the European Southern Observatorys picture of the Vela nebula is no exception.
Get rid of All Ads on Universe Today
Join our Patreon for as little as $3!
Get the ad-free experience for life
When a massive star died in a furious outburst known as a supernova surge, the nebula was developed about 11,000 years earlier. This nebula sits only 900 light years far from Earth, and its the nearby supernova residue to us. To create the nebula seen in the ESOs new image, the star had to go through a number of different stages. Near completion of its life, right prior to the supernova, it ejected the majority of its external layers and blue them away on strong outstanding winds..
When the star lastly blew up the shockwave raced through the nebula. That shockwave interfered with the nebula, causing it to fragment into lots of smaller sized filaments. At the same time it improved the nebula with brand-new material. Finally, the shockwave blast stimulated and warmed up the material in the nebula, which permitted it to start glowing on its own.
In addition to the light from the nebula, it is also receiving energy from the leftover remnant of the supernova, which is a compact neutron star that is just sitting outside the field of view of this image.
Its a ghoulish website for sure, but it sure is gorgeous.
Like this: Like Loading …
To create the nebula seen in the ESOs new image, the star had to go through a number of various phases.
Each image taken by the telescope includes over 268 million pixels, and this specific image is a mosaic of a number of various observations. In total 9 complete moons might fit across the width of the image.