A video released by NASA this week shows the well-known Orion Nebula from a new perspective. 3D visualization of the nebula allows the viewer to see the newborn stars, gas and dust of the nebula from a bird's eye view.
“To be able to fly through a mosaic of nebula in three dimensions is to understand what the universe really looks like,” says Frank Summers, visualization specialist.
The visualization includes photographs taken by the Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes, according to NASA. The scientists then selected the footage to create a better interpretation of what the nebula might look like from the inside.
The video incorporates images in both visible light and infrared, giving the three-minute clip a depth of color and recreating the structure of the nebula that sits in Orion's belt.
The nebula is 1,350 light-years from Earth and is a good example of a place similar to where our Sun was born 4.6 billion years ago, according to NASA.
The nebula is 2 million years old and its stars are young. This means that we have a lot of time to learn about their development and potential future.