Double Vision

Side-by-side images show the constellation Orion in visible (left) and infrared light. The infrared comes from clouds of gas and dust, some of which are collapsing to give birth to new stars. The most prominent example is the Orion Nebula, which is a small pink smudge below Orion's Belt in the visible image, but a bright, massive blob in the infrared. By contrast, most of the stars that appear bright at visible wavelengths don't show up in the infrared. The only major exception is Betelgeuse, at the top left corner, which emits most of its energy as red or infrared light. The infrared view came from IRAS, the first infrared space observatory, which was launched in January 1983. Subsequent infrared observatories have provided far sharper views of Orion and many other star-forming regions. [NASA]