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Location of the Hubble IR Detail in NGC 2174
This graphic shows the location of the infrared image from the Hubble Space Telescope in a wider view of the region of NGC 2174. On the left is a ground-based image of the star-forming nebula in visible light by an amateur astrophotographer, with an outline showing the area of the detailed Hubble image. On the right is a small detail of a star-forming column in the nebula, made by Hubble's WFC3 infrared camera.
About the Object
- ConstellationConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.Orion
- 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.6,400 light-years (2,000 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.The Hubble data are from proposal 13623: Hubble Heritage Team/STScI/AURA: Z. Levay (PI; STScI), K. Noll (GSFC), and M. Mutchler, J. Mack, C. Christian, M. Livio, L. Frattare, J. Sokol, and S. Meyett (STScI). High-level science products for these data are available from the MAST archive.
- Object NameObject NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.NGC 2174, Monkey Head Nebula, Sharpless Sh2-252
- Object DescriptionObject DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.Star-forming Region
- Release DateMarch 17, 2014
- Science ReleaseHubble Celebrates Its 24th Anniversary with an Infrared Look at a Nearby Star Factory
- Credit
Compass and Scale
Compass and ScaleAn astronomical image with a scale that shows how large an object is on the sky, a compass that shows how the object is oriented on the sky, and the filters with which the image was made.
Related Images & Videos
Visible and Infrared Comparison of NGC 2174
This graphic compares visible-light and infrared views of the same detailed area in the star-forming nebula NGC 2174 from the Hubble Space Telescope. On the left is a visible-light image made by WFPC2 in 2001 and on the right is an image made by the WFC3 infrared camera....
NGC 2174: Visible 2D Zoom and Infrared 3D Reveal
This video showcases visible and infrared light views of a collection of pillars along the edge of the star-forming region NGC 2174. The sequence begins with a view of the night sky near the constellation of Gemini and Orion. The view zooms through observations from the...
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Last Updated
Aug 17, 2025
Contact
Media
Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov
