A very merry photo from NASA’s Chandra X-ray observatory shows that even the universe can add Christmas magic to the holiday season.
NASA has unveiled a captivating new image featuring a cluster of young stars named NGC 2264, perfectly timed for the holiday season, resembling a Christmas tree adorned with ornaments and lights. This fresh composite image combines X-ray data captured by the Chandra observatory with optical data from the National Science Foundation’s WIYN 0.9-meter telescope situated on Kitt Peak in Arizona. The result is a stunning portrayal of celestial beauty reminiscent of a festive Christmas tree, providing a visual treat for enthusiasts and observers alike. A very merry photo
The NGC 2264 star cluster, depicted in the released image, is approximately 1.5 million years old and located around 2,500 light-years away from Earth. The stars within this cluster are classified as “young” due to their estimated age range of 1 to 5 billion years, in contrast to the Sun’s 5 billion years.
NASA explained that the resemblance to a Christmas tree is a result of careful choices in color representation and rotation. Ground-based telescope data represents the gas in the nebula in green hues, akin to the “pine needles” of a tree. Additionally, data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey captures foreground and background stars, creating an effect similar to diamonds in the sky or a string of lights. The combination of these elements results in a visually striking image that evokes the festive spirit of a decorated Christmas tree in space.