Deep in the constellation Monoceros, 5,000 light-years away from Earth, lies the breathtaking Rosette Nebula. This cosmic wonder, roughly five times larger than the Orion Nebula, is a sight to behold. The image captured by the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) in Chile showcases the nebula’s vibrant colors, a result of the ultraviolet radiation emitted by its massive stars. These stars have sculpted and illuminated a large cavity within the nebula, giving it a mesmerizing glow.
At the heart of the image is NGC 2244, a cluster of young, massive stars that are only about 2 million years old in cosmic terms. These stars, formed from the coalescing gases of the nebula, have created stunning structures like the “elephant trunks” that mark the transition between ionized and cooler hydrogen gas. As the void expands beyond the star cluster, these cooler gas clumps resist, forming the distinct trunk-like shapes.
This image, released to celebrate the fifth anniversary of NOIRLab, was captured using the powerful DECam mounted on the Víctor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope in Chile. It offers a glimpse into the beauty and complexity of the Rosette Nebula, a fleeting cosmic rose that will eventually dissipate under the relentless radiation of its young stars.
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