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Star Birth

Trifid Nebula

As each slider bar is manipulated, the view transitions from visible light to mid infrared light. In visible light: The Trifid Nebula glows in visible light. In mid infrared light: Deeper in the infrared, the warmest dust begins to glow red. As each slider bar is manipulated, the view transitions from visible light to mid infrared light. In visible light: The Trifid Nebula glows in visible light. In mid infrared light: Deeper in the infrared, the warmest dust begins to glow red.
Visible: Default View
Mid Infrared:
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Trifid Nebula

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.
Visible: The Trifid Nebula glows in visible light.
Mid Infrared: Deeper in the infrared, the warmest dust begins to glow red.
CREDITS: Visible: NOAO. Mid-infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech/J. Rho (SSC/Caltech).