NGC 1999

NGC 1999
Hubble/WFPC2 captures the void in 2000
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Type	Reflection
Right ascension	05h 36m 27.00s
Declination	-06° 43′ 18.0″
Distance	1,500 ly
Apparent magnitude (V)	??
Apparent dimensions (V)	1.5 arcmins
Constellation	Orion
Physical characteristics
Radius	~0.3 ly
Absolute magnitude (V)	-
Notable features	-
See also: Diffuse nebula, Lists of nebulae
v · d · e

NGC 1999 is a dust filled bright nebula with a vast hole of empty space represented by a black patch of sky, as can be seen in the photograph. It is a reflection nebula, and shines from the light of the variable star V380 Orionis.

It was previously believed that the black patch was a dense cloud of dust and gas which blocked light that would normally pass through, called a dark nebula. Analysis of this patch by the infrared telescope Herschel (October 9, 2009), which has the capability of penetrating such dense cloud material, resulted in continued black space. This led to the belief that either the cloud material was immensely dense or that an unexplained phenomenon had been detected.

With support from ground-based observations done using the submillimeter bolometer cameras on the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment radio telescope (November 29, 2009) and the Mayall (Kitt Peak) and Magellan telescopes (December 4, 2009), it was determined that the patch looks black not because it is an extremely dense pocket of gas, but because it is truly empty. The exact cause of this phenomenon is still being investigated, although it has been hypothesized that narrow jets of gas from some of the young stars in the region punctured the sheet of dust and gas, as well as, powerful radiation from a nearby mature star may have helped to create the hole. Researchers believe this discovery should lead to a better understanding of the entire star forming process.^[1][2]

It is located 1,500 light-years away from Earth^[3] in the constellation Orion.

References

1. ^ Telescope discovers surprising hole in space, MSNBC, by Space.com, 11-05-2010
2. ^ Hier ist wahrhaftig ein Loch im Himmel - The NGC 1999 dark globule is not a globule
3. ^ "Fast Facts: Hubble Takes a Close-up View of a Reflection Nebula in Orion". http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2000/10/fastfacts/. Retrieved 2008-03-15. 

Further reading

• National Geographic: Hole in Space Found by Orbiting Telescope by Andrew Fazekas (Published May 12, 2010)