NICMOS uncovers dust layers to show inner region of dusty nebula (NICMOS image)
The revived Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) aboard the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope has penetrated dust layers in a star-forming cloud to uncover a dense, craggy edifice of dust and gas.
This NICMOS image shows the Cone Nebula (NGC 2264), so named because, in ground-based images, it has a conical shape. NICMOS enables the Hubble telescope to see near-infrared wavelengths of light, so that it can penetrate the dust that obscures the nebula's inner regions. However, the Cone is so dense even the near-infrared 'eyes' of NICMOS cannot penetrate all the way through it.
The human eye cannot see infrared light so colours have been assigned to correspond to near-infrared wavelengths. The blue light represents shorter near-infrared wavelengths and the red light corresponds to longer wavelengths.
The NICMOS colour composite image was made by combining photographs taken through J-band, H-band, and Paschen-alpha filters. The NICMOS images were taken on 11 May 2002.
Credit:
About the Image
| Id: | heic0207c |
| Type: | Observation |
| Release date: | 5 June 2002, 15:00 |
| Related releases: | heic0207 |
| Size: | 1116 x 1236 px |
About the Object
| Name: | Cone Nebula, NGC 2264 |
| Type: | • Milky Way : Nebula : Appearance : Emission : H II Region • Nebulae Images/Videos |
| Distance: | 3000 light years |
Colours & filters
| Band | Wavelength | Telescope |
| Infrared J |
1.1 μm | Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS |
| Infrared H |
1.6 μm | Hubble Space Telescope NICMOS |
| Infrared Pa-alpha |
1.87 μm | Hubble Space Telescope ACS |
