Hubble image archive
Compass and Scale Image for Binary Star System Stein 2051
This Hubble Space Telescope image shows the binary star system Stein 2051 on October 1, 2013, consisting of the brighter, redder "A" component at lower right and the fainter, bluer "B" component near the center, a white dwarf star. Because these stars are relatively close to Eart...
- Date
- Jan 1, 2017
- Mission
- Hubble Space Telescope
- Archive ID
- hubblesite-images-2017-25-4044-image
This Hubble Space Telescope image shows the binary star system Stein 2051 on October 1, 2013, consisting of the brighter, redder "A" component at lower right and the fainter, bluer "B" component near the center, a white dwarf star. Because these stars are relatively close to Earth, only 17 light-years away, they appear to move in the sky relative to the much more distant background stars in several months of observations with Hubble. The wavy blue line traces this motion, due to their true motion relative to the sun combined with the parallax due to the motion of Earth around the sun. Stein 2051 B appeared to pass close enough to one of these background stars, labeled "source" that the light from the source star was bent due to the mass of the white dwarf star. This color image was made by combining images taken in two filters with Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3/UVIS) instrument.
Credits
NASA, ESA, and K. Sahu (STScI)Image Details
| About The Object | |
|---|---|
| Object Name | Stein 2051 B, WD 0426+588 |
| Object Description | White dwarf star |
| R.A. Position | 04h 31m 13s |
| Dec. Position | +58º 58' 41" |
| Constellation | Camelopardalis |
| Distance | 17 light-years, 5.5 parsecs |
| About The Data | |
| Data Description | The image was created from Hubble data from proposals and P.I. K. Sahu (STScI). |
| Instrument | WFC3/UVIS |
| Exposure Dates | Oct. 2013 - Oct. 2015 |
| Filters | F606W (wide V), F814W (I) |
| About The Image | |
| Color Info | This image is a composite of separate exposures acquired by the WFC3/UVIS instrument on the Hubble Space Telescope. Two filters were used to sample different wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are: cyan F606W and orange F814W. |
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Source
Image and source material are credited to the official mission archive linked below.
View on NASA.gov