Image ssc2005-23a

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Image Gallery > Astronomical Images > Star Formation > ssc2005-23a

NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)

Now You See Stars, Now You Don't

The image composite compares an infrared image taken by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope to a visible-light picture of the same region (inset). While the infrared view, dubbed "Mountains of Creation," reveals towering pillars of dust aglow with the light of embryonic stars (white/yellow), the visible-light view shows dark, barely-visible pillars. The added detail in the Spitzer image reveals a dynamic region in the process of evolving and creating new stellar life.

Why do the pictures look so different? The answer has two parts. First, infrared light can travel through dust, while visible light is blocked by it. In this case, infrared light from the stars tucked inside the dusty pillars is escaping and being detected by Spitzer. Second, the dust making up the pillars has been warmed by stars and consequently glows in infrared light, where Spitzer can see it. This is a bit like seeing warm bodies at night with infrared goggles. In summary, Spitzer is both seeing, and seeing through, the dust.

The Spitzer image was taken by the infrared array camera on Spitzer. It is a 4-color composite of infrared light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange), and 8.0 microns (red).

The visible-light image is from California Institute of Technology's Digitized Sky Survey.

To download, choose your preferred resolution and file format below. "High-Resolution" files will always be the highest resolution and widest crop available, intended for print. Other resolutions are provided for convenient on-screen viewing.

Screen-Resolution (450x360) : JPEG (64 KB)
Medium-Resolution (900x720) : JPEG (212 KB)
High-Resolution (3000x2400) : JPEG (5.3 MB) | Mac TIFF (10.5 MB) | PC TIFF (10.5 MB)

About the Object
Object type: Star forming region
Position (J2000): RA: 03h 01m 56.00s Dec: 60° 35' 50.00"
Distance: 2000 pc; 7000 light-years
Constellation: Cassiopeia

About the Data

Spitzer Data

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Instrument: IRAC
Wavelength: 3.6 (blue), 4.5 (green), 5.8 (orange), and 8.0 (red) microns
Image scale: 34 x 26 arcmin
Orientation: North is 84 deg CCW from up
Release Date: 2005/11/09

Observers

Lori Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Joseph Hora (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Luis Chavarria (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Lynne Deutsch (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)

Additional Info

Press Release: Spitzer Captures Cosmic Mountains of Creation

Related links: Podcast Interview with Dr. Lori Allen
Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics press release

INDIVIDUAL IMAGES

Spitzer image (full field)
Screen-Resolution (450x335): JPEG
High-Resolution (3426x2548): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF
Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)

Visible-light comparison image
Screen-Resolution (450x335): JPEG
High-Resolution (3426x2548): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF
Credit: DSS

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