3 July 2012 Last updated at 05:06 ET

Big Picture: The Flame nebula

Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer image of the Flame nebula

Nasa's Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer has captured this image of three nebulae - "stellar nurseries" where new stars are being born at a prodigious rate - in the constellation of Orion. At centre is the Flame nebula, below it is another called NGC 2023, and the famous Horsehead nebula pokes out just to the right and below.

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