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Compass and Scale Image of Westerlund 2
About the Object
- R.A. PositionR.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.10h 23m 58.1s
- Dec. PositionDec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.-57° 45' 48.96"
- ConstellationConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.Carina
- DistanceDistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.20,000 light-years (6,130 parsecs)
About the Data
- Data DescriptionData DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.Data of Westerlund 2 were obtained from the HST proposals 13038: A. Nota (ESA/STScI), E. Sabbi and C. Christian (STScI), E. Grebel and P. Zeidler (Astronomisches Rechen-Institut, Zentrum für Astronomie der Universität Heidelberg), M. Tosi (INAF, Osservatorio Astronomico di Bologna), A. Bonanos (National Observatory of Athens, Astronomical Institute), and S. de Mink (University of Amsterdam); and 14039: Z. Levay, M. Mutchler, J. Mack, L. Frattare, S. Meyett, M. Livio, and C. Christian (STScI/AURA), K. Noll (NASA/GSFC), A. Nota (STScI/ESA), and E. Sabbi (STScI). - InstrumentInstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.HST>ACS/WFC and HST>WFC3/IR
- Exposure DatesExposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.September 2013 - November 2014, Total Exposure Time: 23,074 seconds
- FiltersFiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.ACS/WFC: F555W (V) and F814W (I); WFC3/IR F125W (J)
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.Westerlund 2, Gum 29
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Cluster and Starforming Region
- Release DateApril 23, 2015
- Science ReleaseHubble Space Telescope Celebrates 25 Years of Unveiling the Universe
- Credit
These images are composites of separate exposures acquired by the ACS and the WFC3 instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope. Several filters were used to sample broad and narrow wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are: Edge/Nebula Blue: F555W (V) Green: F555W (V) and F814W (I) Red: F814W (I) Central portion of Westerlund 2 Cluster Blue: F555W (V) Green: F814W (I) Red: F125W (J)
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Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
