In the footsteps of "space" cats

Space area known as "Cat's Paw Nebula» (Cat's Paw Nebula) or NGC 6334 is a collection of gas and dust - the birthplace of many stars. The name she received because of the visual resemblance to a giant cat's paw print.





Despite the fact that NGC 6334 is located near the center of our galaxy, it is mostly hidden behind clouds of dust. Nebula is located at a distance of about 5,500 light-years away towards the constellation of the Scorpion (Scorpius), and its size - about 50 light-years.





The red color of the nebula due to the fact that the hydrogen in its structure stands out blinding light of young stars, and green and blue light just does not reach the ground, scattered along the way.

Nebula is home for many young stars that are located deep in the nebula, making them difficult to study. Together, NGC 6334 can contain tens of thousands of stars.