Article Posted on : - Mar 08, 2010

The delicate nebula NGC 1788. ESO Photo

NEW DELHI (BNS): A new and advance image of Nebula NGC 1788, located near the Orion constellation is released by European Organisation for Astronomical Research (ESO).

The Nebula NGC 1788 is said to be a hidden treasure just a few degrees away from the bright stars in Orion’s belt primarily looks like an isolated cloud.

According to the ESO press release, NGC 1788 is a reflection nebula, whose gas and dust scatter the light coming from a small cluster of young stars in such a way that the tenuous glow forms a shape evocative of a gigantic bat spreading its wings.

The bright massive stars belonging to the vast stellar groupings in Orion have played a decisive role in shaping NGC 1788 and stimulating the formation of its stars. Due to the stars, a hydrogen gas ablaze in the parts of the nebula facing Orion, leading to the red, almost vertical rim visible in the left half of the image, the release said.

The new fine image was attained by using the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO’s La Silla Observatory in Chile.