
Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope (NASA / ESA) have obtained a detailed image of a small part of the famous Orion Nebula. The new Hubble image shows two stars: the bright star above Orion V 372 and its smaller companion called BD-05 1307.
V 372 Orionis, also known as HD 36917 or Ori 47, is the so-called Orion variable, a variable star that exhibits irregular and eruptive changes in its brightness. BD-05 1307, also known as 2MASS J05345223-0533085 or TIC 427373786, is classified as an emission line star.
Both stars are in the Orion Nebula, a colossal star-forming region about 1,450 light-years from Earth.
“V 372 Orionis is a special type of variable star known as the Orionian variable,” the astronomers said in a statement.
These young stars experience some of the turbulent processes and growth spurts that astronomers observe as irregular changes in luminosity.
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Orion variables are often associated with diffuse nebulae, and V 372 Orionis is no exception; patchy gas and dust from the Orion Nebula permeate this scene.
The new image is composed of observations made by Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Wide Field Camera (WFC3) in the infrared and optical parts of the spectrum. Six filters were used to sample different wavelengths. The color is obtained by assigning different shades to each monochrome image associated with a particular filter.
Infrared and visible data from the Advanced Camera for Surveys and Wide Field Camera 3 were overlaid to reveal rich detail in this corner of the Orion Nebula. Hubble also left its own subtle mark on this astronomical portrait in the form of diffraction bursts surrounding the star above Orion.
These outstanding artifacts are created by starlight interacting with Hubble’s internal structure, and as a result, they reveal hints of Hubble’s structure. The four spikes surrounding the stars in this image are created by the four blades inside the telescope that support Hubble’s secondary mirror.
On the other hand, the James Webb Space Telescope (NASA/ESA/CSA) stellar imagery will show six diffraction peaks due to the hexagonal shape of the Webb mirror segments and the tricycle structure to support its secondary mirror.