Baby Stars of the Gecko

Wise_wise2024-05_1024

wise_WISE2024-05 November 25th, 2024

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/IPAC

Skygazers have dubbed this region the “Gecko Nebula” for its resemblance to a downturned head with a pointed snout, though astronomers refer to the area as LBN 437. This cloud of dust and gas is a region of star formation, which is revealed clearly in infrared light by NASA’s WISE mission.

Near the “snout” of the gecko you can see a blazing star with a strong red tint, due to its brightness at longer wavelengths of infrared light. This baby star is in its final stages of formation, and while it gobbles up the last of its fuel, some is ejected away in jets of gas that are carving cavities through the surrounding dust clouds. These structures are known as “Herbig Haro” objects to astronomers, and the most prominent around this young star is called HH 398.

This image uses data from the original cryogenic phase of the WISE mission. Infrared wavelengths of 3.4 & 4.6 microns are displayed in blue and cyan, respectively, and are dominated by the glow of stars. Light with a wavelength of 12 microns is displayed in green and traces the presence of carbon-rich dust known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The 22 micron light is rendered in red and is dominated by the thermal glow of warm dust.

Provider: Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

Image Source: /image/wise/WISE2024-05

Curator: Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

Image Details Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Gecko Nebula LBN 437 HH 398
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Star Formation

Distance Details Distance

Universescale1
1,200 light years
Wise_wise2024-05_128
 

Position Details Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 22h 32m 58.4s
DEC = 40° 53’ 24.0”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
1.6 x 1.6 degrees
Constellation
Lacerta

Color Mapping Details Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue WISE Infrared (Near-IR) 3.4 µm
Cyan WISE Infrared (Near-IR) 4.6 µm
Green WISE Infrared (Mid-IR) 12.0 µm
Red WISE Infrared (Mid-IR) 22.0 µm
Spectrum_ir1
Blue
Cyan
Green
Red
Wise_wise2024-05_1280
×
ID
WISE2024-05
Subject Category
B.4.1.2.  
Subject Name
Gecko Nebula, LBN 437, HH 398
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/IPAC
Release Date
2024-11-25
Lightyears
1,200
Redshift
1,200
Reference Url
/image/wise/WISE2024-05
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Facility
WISE, WISE, WISE, WISE
Instrument
Color Assignment
Blue, Cyan, Green, Red
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR, Mid-IR, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
3400, 4600, 12000, 22000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
Reference Value
338.243328, 40.89
Reference Dimension
2048, 2048
Reference Pixel
1024, 1024
Scale
-0.00076388, 0.00076388
Rotation
0.000000
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
URL
https://neowise.ipac.caltech.edu
Name
Email
Telephone
Address
City
State/Province
Postal Code
Country
Rights
Publisher
Publisher ID
wise
Resource ID
Metadata Date
2024-11-25T23:35:24Z
Metadata Version
1.2
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
1,200 light years

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