Chandra Release - December 15, 2022

Visual Description: NGC 3293 

This release features a composite image of star cluster NGC 3293. It resembles a cone of bright stars and wispy, rose-colored clouds, set against a starry sky. 

 

The narrow point of the roughly cone-shaped cloud rests in the center of the image with the wide mouth at our upper right. The narrow end of the cone shape features dozens of large, bright, gleaming stars in blues, purples, whites, and reds. A rose-colored cloud, reminiscent of cotton candy, creates the widening middle and top of the cone shape.

 

The background of the composite image is packed with stars and specks of light in the same blues, purples, whites, and reds. Hints of a thin blue cloud appear on our left, dotted with soft dabs of red, which resemble lens flares or sunspots on a traditional photograph.