GN 04.32.8

GN 04.32.8

Nebula
Reflection nebula
GN 04.32.8 imaged by Hubble Space Telescope
Observation data: J2000.0 epoch
Right ascension	04^h 35^m 42.00^s[1]
Declination	+22° 53′ 60.0″[1]
Distance	480 ly
Constellation	Taurus
Designations	DG 41, GN 04.32.8[1]
See also: Lists of nebulae

GN 04.32.8 (DG 41) is a reflection nebula located in the Taurus molecular cloud, a prominent region of star formation approximately 480 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Taurus. The nebula is illuminated by a cluster of young, hot stars, including the central T Tauri star system, and features a prominent protoplanetary disk associated with an embedded protostar, making it a valuable site for studying early stages of planetary formation.^[2][3][4][5]

At its core lies a triple star system comprising the variable star HP Tauri and the gravitationally bound companions HP Tau G2, and HP Tau G3.^[6][7]

Observation

GN 04.32.8 has been observed as part of broader surveys of the Taurus molecular cloud since the mid-20th century,^[8] but gained prominence through high-resolution imaging by the NASA's Hubble Space Telescope. A detailed image captured by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) was released as the Hubble Picture of the Week on 30 June 2025, highlighting the nebula's intricate dust lanes and stellar content.^[6]

References

1. "DG 41". simbad.cds.unistra.fr. Retrieved 2025-12-19.
2. "Triple Suns & a Hidden Planet Factory: Hubble's Dazzling Peek Inside a Blue Nebula". SciTechDaily. 2025-06-30. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
3. "Taurus reflection nebula". The Planetary Society. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
4. Hughes-Castleberry, Kenna (2025-07-02). "Hubble Telescope finds stellar nursery in Taurus Molecular Cloud | Space photo of the day for July 2, 2025". Space. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
5. Garufi, A.; Ginski, C.; Holstein, R. G. van; Benisty, M.; Manara, C. F.; Pérez, S.; Pinilla, P.; Ribas, Á; Weber, P.; Williams, J.; Cieza, L.; Dominik, C.; Facchini, S.; Huang, J.; Zurlo, A. (2024-05-01). "The SPHERE view of the Taurus star-forming region - The full census of planet-forming disks with GTO and DESTINYS programs". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 685: A53. arXiv:2403.02158. Bibcode:2024A&A...685A..53G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202347586. ISSN 0004-6361.
6. "The young stars of Taurus". ESA Hubble. 2025-06-30. Retrieved 2026-01-19.
7. Kirk, J. M.; Ward-Thompson, D.; Palmeirim, P.; André, Ph.; Griffin, M. J.; Hargrave, P. J.; Könyves, V.; Bernard, J.-P.; Nutter, D. J.; Sibthorpe, B.; Di Francesco, J.; Abergel, A.; Arzoumanian, D.; Benedettini, M.; Bontemps, S. (2013-06-21). "First results from the Herschel Gould Belt Survey in Taurus". Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 432 (2): 1424–1433. doi:10.1093/mnras/stt561. ISSN 0035-8711.
8. Struve, Otto; Straka, W. C. (December 1962). "Notes on Diffuse Galactic Nebulae". Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 74 (441): 474. Bibcode:1962PASP...74..474S. doi:10.1086/127861. ISSN 0004-6280.

External links

• Hubble Picture of the Week