An Unexpected Scattering of Light
Sig10 020b

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Pagani (Observatoire de Paris/CNRS)

Observation • September 23rd, 2010 • sig10-020b

sig10-020b

This series of images from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows a dark mass of gas and dust, called a core, where new stars and planets will likely spring up.

This image shows the core as seen at a shorter infrared wavelength (3.6 microns). In this view, the core lights up because it is deflecting starlight from nearby stars. This unexpected light, called coreshine, tells astronomers that the dust making up the core must be bigger than previously thought -- smaller particles would not have been big enough to scatter the light.

This particular core lies deep within a larger dark cloud called L183. Spitzer's infrared vision allows it to peer into the dark cloud to see the even darker cores buried inside.

The observations were made with Spitzer's infrared array camera (IRAC).

About the Object

Name
Lynds 183L183
Type
Nebula > Appearance > Dark
Distance
325 Light Years

Color Mapping

Band Wavelength Telescope
Infrared 3.6 µm Spitzer IRAC

Astrometrics

Position (J2000)
RA =15h 54m 10.3s
Dec = -2° 53' 32.6"
Field of View
17.2 x 21.9 arcminutes
Orientation
North is 15.0° right of vertical