images

Nebula NGC 1555 with T-Tauri

by

A.Block/MLSC/Univ.of Az/Novapix

Reference

a-neb15-55002

Date

2011-03-27

The orange star in this view is T Tauri, prototype of the class of T Tauri variable stars. Nearby it is a dusty yellow cosmic cloud historically known as Hind's Variable Nebula (NGC 1555/1554). Over 400 light-years away, at the edge of a molecular cloud, both star and nebula are seen to vary significantly in brightness but not necessarily at the same time, adding to the mystery of the intriguing region. T Tauri stars are now generally recognized as young (less than a few million years old), sun-like stars still in the early stages of formation.