The video, published by NASA this week, shows the well-known Orion Nebula from a new angle. 3D-visualization of the nebula allows the beholder to see the newborn stars, gas and dust of the nebula from a bird’s eye view.
“To be able to fly through the nebula mosaic in three dimensions – to understand how the universe really looks,” says Frank Summers, a visualization specialist.
Visualization includes photographs taken by the Hubble and Spitzer space telescopes, according to NASA. Scientists then selected frames to create a better interpretation of how the nebula can look from the inside out.
The video accommodates images in both visible light and infrared, giving a three-minute clip a color depth and recreating the nebula structure that is located in the Orion belt.
The nebula is 1350 light years from Earth, and it’s a good example of a place similar to where our Sun was born 4.6 billion years ago, according to NASA.
Nebulae are 2 million years old, and its stars are young. This means that we have plenty of time to learn about their development and potential future.
