Journey to Star-forming Region NGC 346 in Small Magellanic Cloud Galaxy | ESO

Journey to Star-forming Region NGC 346 in Small Magellanic Cloud Galaxy | ESO

Zooming in on the star-forming region NGC 346, the brightest star-forming region in the neighboring Small Magellanic Cloud galaxy, about 210,000 light-years away from Earth. The light, wind and heat given off by massive stars have dispersed the glowing gas within and around this star cluster, forming a surrounding wispy nebular structure that looks like a cobweb. NGC 346 is located in the constellation Tucana (the Toucan) and spans approximately 200 light-years.

Credit: European Southern Observatory (ESO)/Digitized Sky Survey 2/NOAO/S. Brunier

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: Feb. 24, 2010

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