Field surrounding Cloud-9
A team using the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has uncovered a new type of astronomical object —a starless, gas-rich, dark-matter cloud that is considered a “relic” or remnant of early galaxy formation. Nicknamed “Cloud-9,” this is the first confirmed detection of such an object in the Universe
This image shows the blank field of the surrounding region of Cloud-9. The image identifying its location can be found here.
[Image description: A dark field with stars and galaxies of various sizes speckled throughout the image. A particularly bright star is visible in the upper left region of the image.]
Credit:NASA, ESA. G. Anand (STScI), and A. Benitez-Llambay (Univ. of Milan-Bicocca); Image processing: J. DePasquale (STScI)
About the Image
| Id: | heic2601c |
|---|---|
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 5 January 2026, 18:15 |
| Related releases: | heic2601 |
| Size: | 2914 x 1790 px |
About the Object
| Distance: | 2000 light years |
|---|---|
| Constellation: | Canes Venatici |
| Category: | Stars |
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Coordinates
| Position (RA): | 12 51 51.19 |
|---|---|
| Position (Dec): | 40° 18' 8.71" |
| Field of view: | 2.43 x 1.49 arcminutes |
| Orientation: | North is 47.0° right of vertical |
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Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
|---|---|---|
| Optical V | 606 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |
| Optical I | 814 nm |
Hubble Space Telescope
ACS |