Astronomers took a picture of the constellation of albatross

Constellation IC 2177 is where new stars are born. This area includes dust, hydrogen, helium and traces of some heavy elements. Unusual details captured by the VST Telescope of the European Space Research Organization in the Southern ESO hemisphere show astronomical objects in the constellation forming a seagull.

The main components of IC 2177 are three large gas clouds, the most distinct being Shapless 2-296 (Sh2-296). Sh2-296 gas cloud forms 'wings' , stretching over a distance of 100 light-years. It is typical of the emission nebula, called the HII region , which takes place in the process of forming new stars.

Sh2-296 gas cloud forms 'wings', stretching over a distance of 100 light-years.

The radiation emitted by young stars causes the gas clouds to be brightly colored. This radiation is also the main factor determining the shape of clouds, while creating pressure on surrounding matter.

The second gas cloud Sh2-292 looks like 'seagull' . The most visible component of it is the bright special star HD 53367 (this star is about 20 times larger than our Sun).

Astronomers call it 'seagull eyes' . The Sh2-292 cloud is both a radiation cloud and a reflecting cloud. Most of its light is emitted from ionized gas around the forming stars; At the same time a large amount of light is also reflected from the stars outside the nebula.

Dark bands, disrupting the uniformity of gas clouds, are dust bands. These are areas with a denser density of material, obscuring part of the light gas behind

Constellation IC 2177 is about 3,700 light-years away. Helical galaxies can contain thousands of gas clouds with matter concentrated primarily in 'twisted arms'.

In the component of IC 2177, there are a few smaller clouds, including Sh2-297, Sh2-292 and Sh2-295.

Photo IC 2177 by VST Telescope. VST is one of the world's largest telescopes, used to observe the sky in visible light.