NGC 2467

17 000 light-years

This image shows the area surrounding the stellar cluster NGC 2467, located in the southern constellation of Puppis (the stern). With an age of a few million years, it is a very active stellar nursery where new stars are continuously born from large clouds of dust and gas. The bright star in the centre of the largest pink region at the bottom of the image is a massive young star that is helping shape the structure of the whole region.

Credit: European Southern Observatory.