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Star V838 Monocerotis (V838 Mon) – December 17, 2002

Star V838 Monocerotis (V838 Mon) - December 17, 2002

About the Object

  • R.A. Position
    R.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
    07h 04m 04.8s
  • Dec. Position
    Dec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
    –03° 50' 50"
  • Constellation
    ConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
    Monoceros
  • Distance
    DistanceThe 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.
    The star is ~20,000 light-years (~6 kiloparsecs) away.

About the Data

  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    HST>ACS/WFC
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    December 17, 2002
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    F435W (B), F606W (V), F814W (I)
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    V838 Monocerotis, V838 Mon
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Nova-like variable star and surrounding light echo
  • Release Date
    March 4, 2004
  • Science Release
    Space Phenomenon Imitates Art in Universe’s Version of van Gogh Painting
    Read the release
  • Credit
    NASA, ESA and H.E. Bond (STScI)

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Star V838 Monocerotis (V838 Mon) - December 17, 2002
Color Info
Color InfoA brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented.

Blue" F435W (B) Green: F606W (V) Red: F814W (I)

Related Images & Videos

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"Light Echo" Illuminates Dust Around Supergiant Star V838 Monocerotis (V838 Mon)

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Expanding Flash From Supergiant Star V838 Monocerotis (V838 Mon)

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V838 Monocerotis Dissolve Sequence

V838 Monocerotis Dissolve Sequence

Dissolve sequence of the 5 epochs of the light echo of star V838 Mon.

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Details

Last Updated
Aug 17, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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