While celebrating 60 years of the European Southern Observatory, the space agency has released an image of a Cone Nebula resembling a cosmic sentinel.
According to the report, “The nebula is seven light-years long and looks like a lighthouse in infinite space. The photo was taken by the European Space Observatory’s very large telescope on the completion of its 60 years. The cone nebula is part of a larger complex 2,500 light years away called NGC 2264 in the constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn).”
This nebula is made up of thick dust which absorbs light, unlike some other nebulae that emit light. The only light at wavelengths invisible to the human eye, such as infrared and radio, can penetrate them.
What is Cone Nebula?
“The Cone Nebula is an H II region in the constellation of the Monoceros. It was discovered by William Herschel on December 26, 1785, at which time he designated it H V.27. The nebula is located about 830 parsecs or 2,700 light-years away from Earth.
This Nebula forms part of the nebulosity surrounding the Christmas Tree Cluster. The designation of NGC 2264 in the New General Catalogue refers to both objects and not the nebula alone.
The nebula is part of a much larger star-forming complex—the Hubble space telescope was used to capture images of forming stars in 1997.” Source Wikipedia.