NEBULAE · 2012-04-17
A New View of the Tarantula Nebula
This view of the Tarantula Nebula assigns three observatories to three color channels.
What to observe
- Separate the blue, green and red structures mentally before reading the legend.
- Notice where two or more colors overlap.
Explanation
The composite contains X-ray data from Chandra, optical data from Hubble and infrared data from Spitzer.
Color method
Chandra X-rays are blue, Hubble optical observations are green and Spitzer infrared observations are red.
Why it matters
A shared color legend lets one image compare energetic gas, visible structures and infrared-emitting material.
Sources and credits
Asset credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/PSU/L.Townsley et al.; Optical: NASA/STScI; Infrared: NASA/JPL/PSU/L.Townsley et al. / JPL