NEBULAE · 2020-01-07
SOFIA Reveals How the Swan Nebula Hatched
The Omega Nebula is organized by four infrared wavelength ranges gathered by SOFIA, Herschel and Spitzer.
What to observe
- Follow blue and green near the center before moving toward the red edge.
- Notice the white stellar field behind the colored material.
Explanation
The mapped wavelengths distinguish heated gas, warmed dust, colder dust and the stellar field in one composite.
Color method
Blue represents SOFIA observations at 20 microns, green 37 microns, red Herschel observations at 70 microns and white Spitzer observations at 3.6 microns.
Why it matters
Color can make several invisible infrared bands legible at once while preserving where their signals occur.
Sources and credits
Asset credit: NASA/SOFIA/Lim, De Buizer, & Radomski et al.; ESA/Herschel; NASA/JPL-Caltech / JPL