NASA captures 'cosmic Christmas tree' shining in space

TOPEKA (KSNT) - Peering into deep space, NASA has photographed a "Christmas Tree Cluster" shining a bright green color from a cluster of young stars.

NASA released a photo of the odd sight from space on Dec. 19, just in time for Christmas, on its website and social media. The image was taken by NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory of stars that are around 2,500 light years from Earth.

This group of stars is known as NGC 2264 and are between one and five million years old inside the Milky Way Galaxy. Some of the stars making up the cluster are tiny at less than 1/10 of the size of our solar system's own sun.

"In this composite image, the cluster’s resemblance to a Christmas tree has been enhanced through image rotation and color choices. Optical data is represented by wispy green lines and shapes, which creates the boughs and needles of the tree shape. X-rays detected by Chandra are presented as blue and white lights, and resemble glowing dots of light on the tree. Infrared data show foreground and background stars as gleaming specks of white against the blackness of space."

NASA media release excerpt

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