Space

Video: Zoom into the constellation Scorpius

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February 20, 2013

In this video from the European Southern Observatory (ESO), zoom into a region of active star formation in the constellation Scorpius. The final frames of this video shows VISTA telescope’s infrared view of NGC 6357 – also known as the Lobster Nebula – about 8000 light-years away. NGC 6357 is a region filled with vast clouds of gas and tendrils of dark dust. These clouds are forming stars, including massive hot stars which glow a brilliant blue-white in visible light.

These images were taken as part of a VISTA survey that is currently scanning the Milky Way in a bid to map our galaxy’s structure and explain how it formed.

Chris Comfort

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About the Author:

Chris Comfort, Technology Manager, oversees EarthSky's systems and infrastructure, and the development and maintenance of EarthSky.org. He loves working with a company dedicated to nature and science. His favorite thing about EarthSky? The wonderful images of nature coming in from EarthSky's global photographic community.