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V838 Monocerotis – September 2006

V838 Monocerotis - September 2006

About the Object

  • R.A. Position
    R.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
    07h 4m 4.99s
  • Dec. Position
    Dec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
    -3° 50' 50.0"
  • Constellation
    ConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
    Monoceros
  • Distance
    DistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.
    The star is ~20,000 light-years (~6 kiloparsecs) away.
  • Dimensions
    DimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
    2.5 arcminutes (14 light-years or 4.5 parsecs) wide

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
    Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.
    This image was created from HST data from the following proposals: 10618 and 10913: H. Bond (STScI), R. Wagner (University of Arizona), R. White (STScI), R. Corradi (Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos), L. Crause (University of Cape Town), M. Dopita (Australian National University), A. Henden (United States Naval Observatory), Z. Levay (STScI), U. Munari (Universita di Padova), N. Panagia (STScI/ESA), W. Sparks (STScI), S. Starrfield (Arizona State University), and B. Sugerman (STScI).
  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    HST>ACS/WFC
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    September 9, 2006
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    F606W (V) and F814W (I)
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    V838 Monocerotis, V838 Mon
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Nova-like variable star and surrounding light echo
  • Release Date
    October 26, 2006
  • Science Release
    Hubble’s Latest Views of Light Echo from Star V838 Monocerotis
    Read the release
  • Credit
    NASA, ESA, and H. Bond (STScI)

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V838 Monocerotis - September 2006
Color Info
Color InfoA brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented.

This image is a composite of many separate exposures made by the ACS instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope. Two filters were used to sample broad wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic image. In this case, the assigned colors are: Blue: F606W (V) Greed: F606W (V) + F814W (I) Red: F814W (I)

Compass and Scale
Compass and ScaleAn astronomical image with a scale that shows how large an object is on the sky, a compass that shows how the object is oriented on the sky, and the filters with which the image was made.

Related Images & Videos

Hubble's Latest Views of Light Echo from Star V838 Monocerotis

Hubble's Latest Views of Light Echo from Star V838 Monocerotis

These are the most recent NASA Hubble Space Telescope views of an unusual phenomenon in space called a light echo. Light from a star that erupted nearly five years ago continues propagating outward through a cloud of dust surrounding the star. The light reflects or "echoes" off...

V838 Monocerotis - November 2005

V838 Monocerotis - November 2005

Close-Up of Light Echo Around V838 Monocerotis (September 2006)

Close-Up of Light Echo Around V838 Monocerotis (September 2006)

A detailed look at the V838 Mon light echo from September 2006, taken with the Hubble Space Telescope.

V838 Monocerotis Dissolve Sequence of Epochs

V838 Monocerotis Dissolve Sequence of Epochs

A dissolve sequence of eight images taken by Hubble's Advanced Camera for Surveys shows a CAT-scan-like probe of the three-dimensional structure of the shells of dust surrounding the aging star V838 Monocerotis. The sequence reveals dramatic changes in the way a brilliant flash...

Zoom into the Light Echo V838Mon

Zoom into the Light Echo V838Mon

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Details

Last Updated
Mar 28, 2025
Contact
Media

Claire Andreoli
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
claire.andreoli@nasa.gov

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