This image of the nebula NGC 3582, which was captured by the Wide Field Imager on the MPG/ESO 2.2-metre telescope at ESO's La Silla Observatory in Chile, shows giant loops of gas bearing a striking resemblance to solar prominences. These loops are thought to have been ejected by dying stars, but new stars are also being born within this stellar nursery. These energetic youngsters emit intense ultraviolet radiation that makes the gas in the nebula glow, producing the fiery display shown here.
An image from the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) 2.2m telescope in Chile has yielded a striking view of the NGC 3582 nebula. Vast loops of gas can be seen in the image, looking like the ejecta of stars known as solar prominences. Here, the gas comes from dying stars. At the same time, radiation from young stars ionises the gas and gives it a bright glow. Read more