"A Hole in the Sky": Molecular Cloud LDN1774 (visible & infrared view) | ESO

"A Hole in the Sky": Molecular Cloud LDN1774 (visible & infrared view) | ESO

Rather than showing spectacular objects, some of the most surprising images of the Universe instead focus on emptiness. This image from the 2.2-meter MPG/ESO telescope shows dark tentacles swirling outwards from a dark, blank spot of space in the center of the frame, particularly conspicuous against the dense peppering of bright gold and red stars across the rest of the image. This molecular cloud is cataloged as LDN1774.

This region is not a hole in the cosmos, or an empty patch of sky. The dark lanes are actually made up of thick, opaque dust lying between us and the packed star field behind it. This obscuring dust forms part of a dark molecular cloud, cold and dense areas where large quantities of dust and molecular gas mingle and block the visible light emitted by more distant stars.

It is still unclear how these clouds form, but they are thought to be the very early stages of new star formation—in the future, the subject of this image may well collapse inwards on itself to form a new star system.

This image was taken by the Wide Field Imager, an instrument mounted on the European Southern Observatory’s 2.2-meter MPG/ESO telescope at La Silla, Chile.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)

Release Date: May 4, 2015

#NASA #ESO #Astronomy #Space #Science #Stars #Nebulae #StarFormation #MolecularCloud #Infrared #Visible #Ophiuchus #Constellation #MilkyWayGalaxy #Cosmos #Universe #Telescope #VLT #LaSilla #Chile #SouthAmerica #Europe #STEM #Education