Hubble Uncovers Brilliant Star in Milky Way's Core
One of the intrinsically brightest stars in our galaxy appears as the bright white dot in the center of this image taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble's Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) was needed to take the picture, because the star is hidden at the galactic center, behind obscuring dust. NICMOS' infrared vision penetrated the dust to reveal the star, which is glowing with the radiance of 10 million suns.
One of the intrinsically brightest stars in our galaxy appears as the bright white dot in the centre of this image taken with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. Hubble's Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) was needed to take the picture, because the star is hidden at the galactic center, behind obscuring dust. NICMOS' infrared vision penetrated the dust to reveal the star, which is glowing with the radiance of 10 million suns.
Credit:About the Image
About the Object
Name: | Pistol Nebula |
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Type: | Milky Way : Nebula : Appearance : Emission : H II Region |
Distance: | 25000 light years |
Constellation: | Sagittarius |
Category: | Nebulae |
Coordinates
Position (RA): | 17 46 15.44 |
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Position (Dec): | -28° 50' 1.09" |
Field of view: | 0.64 x 0.64 arcminutes |
Orientation: | North is 45.6° right of vertical |
Colours & filters
Band | Telescope |
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Hubble Space Telescope
NICMOS |