Comets are large objects orbiting in the solar system, made up of dust and ice. Here are 10 stunning stunning comets captured.

10 Stunning Photos of Comet Vistas

A Gum 3 nebula, 3,600 light-years from Earth has been located by The European Southern Observatory's (ESO) VLT Survey Telescope (VST). The Gum 3 nebula appears as a fish in the space.&nbsp;

The breathtaking images captured by the telescope have gained significant attention in the eyes of the public. The Gum 3 nebula shines bright with tones of pink, red and maroon amazing one and all. It has taken the shape of a koi fish and appears as if the fish is swimming in space!&nbsp;

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<h2>What is a nebula?&nbsp;</h2>

A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust and gas that acts as a nursery for new stars.

Officials at the European Southern Observatory have explained that when the ultraviolet radiation from stars hits the cloud it emits light of colours such as red, pink, etc that astonishes many.&nbsp;

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Another reason for the nebula&nbsp;to look so spectacular is the reflection of light, especially blue that takes place within the clouds. This is very similar to the reason behind the sky appearing blue.&nbsp;

Gum 3 nebula is lit up by young stars that release intense radiation&nbsp;causing&nbsp;the interstellar gas to sparkle and generate fascinating patterns and shapes. This is why the nebula looks like a goldfish.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/this-supernova-remained-brilliantly-bright-40-years-after-its-explosion-731437">This supernova remained brilliantly bright 40 years after its explosion</a>

<h2>Details of the instrument that captured this phenomenon&nbsp;</h2>

The images were captured using the OmegaCAM which is present at the Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile. It is equipped with 12 different broadband filters that help astronomers observe a wide range of cosmic objects. The telescope is designed in a way that allows the survey of the southern sky and takes images of unique phenomena like the Gum 3 nebula.&nbsp; 
(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

A Gum 3 nebula, 3,600 light-years from Earth has been located by The European Southern Observatory's (ESO) VLT Survey Telescope (VST). The Gum 3 nebula appears as a fish in the space.

A Gum 3 nebula, 3,600 light-years from Earth has been located by The European Southern Observatory's (ESO) VLT Survey Telescope (VST). The Gum 3 nebula appears as a fish in the space. The breathtaking images captured by the telescope have gained significant attention in the eyes of the public. The Gum 3 nebula shines bright with tones of pink, red and maroon amazing one and all. It has taken the shape of a koi fish and appears as if the fish is swimming in space! Also read | Are we alone in the cosmos? NASA chief says a trillion Earth-like planets are out there What is a nebula? A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust and gas that acts as a nursery for new stars. Officials at the European Southern Observatory have explained that when the ultraviolet radiation from stars hits the cloud it emits light of colours such as red, pink, etc that astonishes many. Watch | Israel war: Biden says, 'Hamas biggest 'hang-up' to Gaza truce' Another reason for the nebula to look so spectacular is the reflection of light, especially blue that takes place within the clouds. This is very similar to the reason behind the sky appearing blue. Gum 3 nebula is lit up by young stars that release intense radiation causing the interstellar gas to sparkle and generate fascinating patterns and shapes. This is why the nebula looks like a goldfish. Also read | This supernova remained brilliantly bright 40 years after its explosion Details of the instrument that captured this phenomenon The images were captured using the OmegaCAM which is present at the Paranal Observatory in the Atacama Desert of Northern Chile. It is equipped with 12 different broadband filters that help astronomers observe a wide range of cosmic objects. The telescope is designed in a way that allows the survey of the southern sky and takes images of unique phenomena like the Gum 3 nebula. (With inputs from agencies)

Survey telescope captures stunning image of Gum 3 nebula that appears as a 'Koi Fish' in space

It's the holiday season on Earth and space alike! European Southern Observatory (ESO) recently shared a picture of a majestic nebula shaped like a running chicken, giving the vibe of a holiday in space. They literally named it Running Chicken Nebula which “spans an area in the sky of about 25 full moons”, said the ESO press release.

The holiday special nebula was captured in a 1.5 billion pixel resolution by the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) that is hosted at ESO’s Paranal site in Chile.&nbsp;

<h2>ESO captured Running Chicken Nebula</h2>

The special Running Chicken Nebula is located in the constellation Centaurus (the Centaur), which is 6500 light-years from Earth, as per ESO. The stars that comprise this nebula are quite young and emit intense radiation that makes the surrounding hydrogen glow in shades of pink. The pinkish hue of the nebula makes it unbelievably spectacular to look at.

Take a detailed look:
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&nbsp;

&nbsp;
<img alt="Nebula " data-align="center" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c0cb431d-5570-4728-93d8-0137866b2cfc" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/eso1135b.jpg" />
The brightest region within this nebula is called IC 2948, where some people located a silhouette of a chicken’s head and others its rear end. Apart from the pinkish hue, the pastel contours seen in the image are made up of plumes of gas and dust.&nbsp;

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At the centre of the nebula is IC 2944, which is a bright, vertical almost pillar-like structure. The brightest twinkle in this particular region is Lambda Centauri, a star visible to the naked eye that is much closer to us than the nebula itself.

Other regions in the picture include- Gum 39 and 40, to the upper right and Gum 41, to the lower right. Aside from the nebulae, there are countless stars of orange, white and blue colours arranged in an assorted mosaic.&nbsp;

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But what makes the nebula look like a chicken? Well, it is the presence of these innumerable stars that are all bright and pretty but are certainly not merry. These stars emit vast amounts of radiation that carve out of the spatial environment a chicken-like shape. Some regions of the nebula, known as Bok globules can withstand this fierce bombardment of stars, leaving a void in between the chicken-like silhouette.

The observations were made with the wide-field camera OmegaCAM mounted on the VST. As per ESO, the image is 270 light-years wide and it would take an average chicken almost 21 billion years to run across it. This time is much longer than our universe has been around for.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

It's the holiday season on Earth and space alike! European Southern Observatory (ESO) recently shared a picture of a majestic nebula shaped like a running chicken, giving the vibe of a holiday in space.

It's the holiday season on Earth and space alike! European Southern Observatory (ESO) recently shared a picture of a majestic nebula shaped like a running chicken, giving the vibe of a holiday in space. They literally named it Running Chicken Nebula which “spans an area in the sky of about 25 full moons”, said the ESO press release. The holiday special nebula was captured in a 1.5 billion pixel resolution by the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) that is hosted at ESO’s Paranal site in Chile. ESO captured Running Chicken Nebula The special Running Chicken Nebula is located in the constellation Centaurus (the Centaur), which is 6500 light-years from Earth, as per ESO. The stars that comprise this nebula are quite young and emit intense radiation that makes the surrounding hydrogen glow in shades of pink. The pinkish hue of the nebula makes it unbelievably spectacular to look at. Take a detailed look: The brightest region within this nebula is called IC 2948, where some people located a silhouette of a chicken’s head and others its rear end. Apart from the pinkish hue, the pastel contours seen in the image are made up of plumes of gas and dust. Also Read | 2,300-year-old mosaic, made of coral and shells, emerge from Rome after five-year dig At the centre of the nebula is IC 2944, which is a bright, vertical almost pillar-like structure. The brightest twinkle in this particular region is Lambda Centauri, a star visible to the naked eye that is much closer to us than the nebula itself. Other regions in the picture include- Gum 39 and 40, to the upper right and Gum 41, to the lower right. Aside from the nebulae, there are countless stars of orange, white and blue colours arranged in an assorted mosaic. Also Read | Octopus gives startling warning on West Antarctic ice sheet's potential collapse But what makes the nebula look like a chicken? Well, it is the presence of these innumerable stars that are all bright and pretty but are certainly not merry. These stars emit vast amounts of radiation that carve out of the spatial environment a chicken-like shape. Some regions of the nebula, known as Bok globules can withstand this fierce bombardment of stars, leaving a void in between the chicken-like silhouette. The observations were made with the wide-field camera OmegaCAM mounted on the VST. As per ESO, the image is 270 light-years wide and it would take an average chicken almost 21 billion years to run across it. This time is much longer than our universe has been around for. (With inputs from agencies)

It's holiday season in space too! See the beautiful running-chicken-like nebula

Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory have captured a distant galaxy dying and&nbsp;losing its ability to form stars.

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A galaxy caught dying? <a href="https://twitter.com/almaobs?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ALMAObs</a> sees a distant galaxy ejecting nearly half of its star-forming gas at a rate equivalent to 10,000 Suns worth of gas a year, causing the galaxy to lose its fuel to make new stars. 
Credit: <a href="https://twitter.com/ESO?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ESO</a> /M. Kornmesser <a href="https://t.co/JXduGUEoya">https://t.co/JXduGUEoya</a> <a href="https://t.co/QHqfoNmTCR">pic.twitter.com/QHqfoNmTCR</a>
— ESO (@ESO) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESO/status/1348664765619589121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 11, 2021</a></blockquote>
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The spectacular event was triggered by the collision of another galaxy as per the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).&nbsp;

The new study was published in Nature Astronomy and suggests galactic mergers can be responsible for ejecting star-forming fuel into space.

Earlier, astronomers&nbsp;believed that winds caused by star formation and the activity of black holes at the centre of the galaxies are responsible for launching star-forming material into space thus ending thus, ending galaxies abilities to make new stars.

Scientists were able to trace it due to the ejected gas called ''tidal tail'', which are elongated streams of stars and gas extending into interstellar space due to the merger of two galaxies.

The galaxy, known as ID2299 was formed when the Universe was just 4.5 million years old. It will shut down in a few tens of millions of years as it is ejecting 46 per cent of its total star-forming gas while new stars are being formed by other galaxies very rapidly.

Annagrazia Puglisi, the lead researcher on the new study, said: “This is the first time we have observed a typical massive star-forming galaxy in the distant Universe about to ‘die’ because of a massive cold gas ejection.”

While the&nbsp;study's co-author Emanuele Daddi from&nbsp;CEA-Saclay believes&nbsp;“Our study suggests that gas ejections can be produced by mergers and that winds and tidal tails can appear very similar.”

“This might lead us to revise our understanding of how galaxies ‘die’,” Daddi adds.

Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory have captured a distant galaxy dying and losing its ability to form stars. A galaxy caught dying? @ALMAObs sees a distant galaxy ejecting nearly half of its star-forming gas at a rate equivalent to 10,000 Suns worth of gas a year, causing the galaxy to lose its fuel to make new stars.

Astronomers at the European Southern Observatory have captured a distant galaxy dying and losing its ability to form stars. A galaxy caught dying? @ALMAObs sees a distant galaxy ejecting nearly half of its star-forming gas at a rate equivalent to 10,000 Suns worth of gas a year, causing the galaxy to lose its fuel to make new stars. Credit: @ESO /M. Kornmesser https://t.co/JXduGUEoya pic.twitter.com/QHqfoNmTCR — ESO (@ESO) January 11, 2021 × The spectacular event was triggered by the collision of another galaxy as per the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The new study was published in Nature Astronomy and suggests galactic mergers can be responsible for ejecting star-forming fuel into space. Earlier, astronomers believed that winds caused by star formation and the activity of black holes at the centre of the galaxies are responsible for launching star-forming material into space thus ending thus, ending galaxies abilities to make new stars. Scientists were able to trace it due to the ejected gas called ''tidal tail'', which are elongated streams of stars and gas extending into interstellar space due to the merger of two galaxies. The galaxy, known as ID2299 was formed when the Universe was just 4.5 million years old. It will shut down in a few tens of millions of years as it is ejecting 46 per cent of its total star-forming gas while new stars are being formed by other galaxies very rapidly. Annagrazia Puglisi, the lead researcher on the new study, said: “This is the first time we have observed a typical massive star-forming galaxy in the distant Universe about to ‘die’ because of a massive cold gas ejection.” While the study's co-author Emanuele Daddi from CEA-Saclay believes “Our study suggests that gas ejections can be produced by mergers and that winds and tidal tails can appear very similar.” “This might lead us to revise our understanding of how galaxies ‘die’,” Daddi adds.

A galaxy caught dying? Astronomers capture distant galaxy losing its ability to form stars

The ESO (European Southern Observatory) said it had discovered the planet, Ross 128b, orbiting a star within the constellation of Virgo and it is comparatively &quot;close&quot;&nbsp;at just 11 light years outside the Solar System.

One light year is equivalent to 9.46 trillion kilometres (5.85 trillion miles).

But in inter-galactic terms that is not so far, says Xavier Bonfils, an astronomer for the French CNRS research centre at the Grenoble Observatory for Sciences of the Universe.

&quot;Ross 128b is very close, which will allow us to see it with a telescope such as E-ELT (European Extremely Large Telescope) in construction for 2025,&quot; Bonfils told AFP.

Researchers say Ross 128b could potentially harbour life, as it has a similar mass to that of Earth -- a multiple of 1.35 -- and &quot;its surface temperature could equally be close to that of Earth&quot;.

Such conditions could potentially support liquid water, indispensable to life as we know it. The next step will be to see if the atmosphere contains traces of water, dioxygen or methane.

Several thousand exoplanets have been discovered to date but only around 50 are considered to be potentially habitable.

The European Southern Observatory said it had discovered the planet, Ross 128b, orbiting a star within the constellation of Virgo and it is comparatively 'close' at just 11 light years outside the Solar System

The ESO (European Southern Observatory) said it had discovered the planet, Ross 128b, orbiting a star within the constellation of Virgo and it is comparatively "close" at just 11 light years outside the Solar System. One light year is equivalent to 9.46 trillion kilometres (5.85 trillion miles). But in inter-galactic terms that is not so far, says Xavier Bonfils, an astronomer for the French CNRS research centre at the Grenoble Observatory for Sciences of the Universe. "Ross 128b is very close, which will allow us to see it with a telescope such as E-ELT (European Extremely Large Telescope) in construction for 2025," Bonfils told AFP. Researchers say Ross 128b could potentially harbour life, as it has a similar mass to that of Earth -- a multiple of 1.35 -- and "its surface temperature could equally be close to that of Earth". Such conditions could potentially support liquid water, indispensable to life as we know it. The next step will be to see if the atmosphere contains traces of water, dioxygen or methane. Several thousand exoplanets have been discovered to date but only around 50 are considered to be potentially habitable.

New planet could support life: Observatory

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