In this image of IRAS 04302+2247, the nebula is illuminated by a young star hidden by the dark dust lane that divides the nebula in two. The diameter of the dense edge-on disk of dust and gas is about 860 AU and has a mass comparable to that of the Solar Nebula. The whispy nature of the nebula above and below the disk suggest continued infall from the parent cloud.

Image taken with the HST's NICMOS camera, in the constellation of Taurus, 140 pc away. Most of the nebulae represent small dust particles around the stars, which are seen because they are reflecting starlight. In the colour-coding, regions of greatest dust concentration appear red.

All photo credits: D. Padgett (IPAC/Caltech), W. Brandner (IPAC), K. Stapelfeldt (JPL) and NASA.
Taken from STSci Press Releases 9/2/99

Last Updated: 12 February 1999

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