Newborn stars peek out from beneath their natal blanket of dust in this dynamic image of the Rho Ophiuchi dark cloud from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope.

Newborn stars peek out from beneath their natal blanket of dust in this dynamic image of the Rho Ophiuchi dark cloud from NASA Spitzer Space Telescope. This nebula is about 407 light years away from Earth.

This image of the star-forming region Rho Ophiuchi was taken in 1983 by the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS), the first infrared telescope ever launched into Earth orbit. Infrared light refers to wavelengths slightly longer than what human eyes can see. Most infrared wavelengths are blocked by Earth's atmosphere, so infrared space telescopes are essential for observing the full breadth of infrared light from cosmic sources. Rho Ophiuchi's thick clouds of gas and dust block visible light, but IRAS' infrared vision made it the first observatory to be able to pierce those layers to reveal newborn stars nestled deep inside. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA26271

A rich collection of colorful astronomical objects is revealed in this picturesque image of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex from NASA Wide-field Infrared Explorer; the cloud is found rising above the plane of the Milky Way in the night sky.