Infrared Universe: Trifid Nebula (M20)

This star-forming nebula has hot stars that heat up the surrounding gas and disperse dust. In visible light, we see the glow of the hot gas (red) and light scattered off foreground dust (blue). Infrared light shows us more of the underlying dust cloud. Shifting to longer wavelengths of infrared light highlights the hottest dust (in red), helping us see the youngest stars.

Optical: The Trifid Nebula glows in visible light.
Credit: NOAO

Mid-Infrared: Deeper in the infrared, the warmest dust begins to glow red.
Credit: NASA, JPL-Caltech, J. Rho (SSC/Caltech)

About the Infrared Universe Collection

The human eye can only see visible light, but objects give off a variety of wavelengths of light. To see an object as it truly exists, we would ideally look at its appearance through the full range of the electromagnetic spectrum. Telescopes show us objects as they appear emitting different energies of light, with each wavelength conveying unique information about the object. The Webb Space Telescope will study infrared light from celestial objects with much greater clarity and sensitivity than ever before. Explore the Infrared Universe. Adapted from Cool Cosmos by IPAC, with additional contributions from Bruno Merin and Miguel Merin (Pludo).