1 00:00:01,000 --> 00:00:06,000 A new image released to celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Hubble 2 00:00:06,000 --> 00:00:11,000 has captured a stunning infrared view of the Horsehead Nebula, 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:15,000 one of the most distinctive objects in our skies. 4 00:00:15,000 --> 00:00:22,000 These infrared observations pierce through parts of the thick, obscuring dust, 5 00:00:22,000 --> 00:00:30,000 revealing the delicate wisps of gas that make up the Horsehead’s famous and familiar shape. 6 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:51,000 Episode 65: A whole new view of the Horsehead — celebrating Hubble's 23rd birthday 7 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,000 Presented by Dr. J, aka Dr Joe Liske 8 00:00:59,000 --> 00:01:02,000 Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Hubblecast! 9 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:05,000 It’s that time of the year again — Hubble’s birthday! 10 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:09,000 Some of us have followed Hubble from its conception and birth, 11 00:01:09,000 --> 00:01:12,000 through its childhood and teenage years, 12 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:14,000 to see it emerge as a fully-fledged adult. 13 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:20,000 Now, at the age of 23, Hubble is ageing — but more capable than ever. 14 00:01:20,000 --> 00:01:25,000 And every year of observing continues to bring us cutting-edge science, 15 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:28,000 and stunning astronomical images. 16 00:01:29,000 --> 00:01:34,000 Some of the most striking and beautiful subjects of these images have been nebulae. 17 00:01:34,000 --> 00:01:43,000 These come in all shapes and sizes, and often seem to take on familiar or recognisable forms. 18 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:52,000 Nebulae are vast interstellar clouds of gas and dust. 19 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:54,000 There are several different types of nebulae, 20 00:01:54,000 --> 00:01:57,000 and they can take on a wide range of shapes and appearances. 21 00:01:57,000 --> 00:02:03,000 For example, the Eagle Nebula was formed by a collapsing interstellar cloud, 22 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:08,000 and it glows due to the hot new stars forming within and around it. 23 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:18,000 Some nebulae form in much more dramatic ways — like the Helix Nebula, for example. 24 00:02:18,000 --> 00:02:23,000 It is the result of a once Sun-like star blowing off its outer layers. 25 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:35,000 Or the Crab Nebula, which is what remains of a massive star that exploded as a supernova back in 1054. 26 00:02:39,000 --> 00:02:46,000 One of the most striking and distinctive nebulae in our skies is the Horsehead Nebula, 27 00:02:46,000 --> 00:02:50,000 due to its clear and curiously familiar shape. 28 00:02:50,000 --> 00:02:57,000 Hubble imaged this nebula back in 2001 to celebrate its 11th year of observing 29 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:07,000 and now, over a decade later, it is again involved in the telescope’s birthday celebrations! 30 00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:12,000 Rising from a sea of gas and dust like a giant sea horse, 31 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:17,000 this dusty region is a great example of a dark nebula — 32 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:23,000 a cold, dark, cloud silhouetted against a background of glowing gas. 33 00:03:24,000 --> 00:03:28,000 But despite this nebula’s fame and popularity, 34 00:03:28,000 --> 00:03:35,000 this new image from Hubble now shows it in a whole new light — quite literally! 35 00:03:37,000 --> 00:03:40,000 This image was taken in the infrared. 36 00:03:40,000 --> 00:03:45,000 In infrared light, we can pierce right through some of the bulky plumes of dusty material 37 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:50,000 which usually mask and obscure the inner regions of the Horsehead. 38 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:54,000 The result is this rather fragile-looking structure, 39 00:03:54,000 --> 00:04:00,000 made of delicate, wispy folds of gas — very different to the nebula’s appearance in the visible. 40 00:04:06,000 --> 00:04:11,000 Infrared light has longer wavelengths than visible light. 41 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,000 We cannot see this radiation with our eyes alone, 42 00:04:14,000 --> 00:04:19,000 and so have capable infrared telescopes or instruments 43 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:25,000 — for example, Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3. 44 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:28,000 Seemingly normal-looking areas of sky 45 00:04:28,000 --> 00:04:34,000 can suddenly appear to be dramatically different in this part of the spectrum. 46 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:41,000 This striking new view of the Horsehead Nebula 47 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:48,000 is a fitting celebration of an incredible 23 years of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope. 48 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:08,000 This is Dr J, signing off for the Hubblecast. Once again, nature has surprised us beyond our wildest imagination. 49 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:14,000 Hubblecast is produced by ESA/Hubble at the European Southern Observatory in Germany. 50 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:19,000 The Hubble mission is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. 51 00:05:19,000 --> 00:05:24,000 www.spacetelescope.org 52 00:05:25,000 --> 00:05:28,000 Transcribed by ESA/Hubble. Translation --