Becklin–Neugebauer Object

The Becklin-Neugebauer Object (BN) is an object visible only in the infrared in the Orion Molecular Cloud. It was discovered in 1967 by Eric Becklin and Gerry Neugebauer during their near-infrared survey of the Orion Nebula.

The BN Object is thought to be an intermediate-mass protostar. It was the first star detected using infrared methods and is deeply embedded within the Orion star-forming nebula, where it is invisible at optical wavelengths because the light is completely scattered or absorbed due to the high density of dusty material.

The BN Object is the brightest object in the sky (apart from the Sun) at wavelengths of less than 10 micrometres. It is about the size of the Solar System and has a surface temperature of only about 700 K, but deep inside, hidden from view, is a luminous star with a mass of some 15 solar masses and a surface temperature of some 26,000 K. Its birthing process involved the hot, bright stars of the Trapezium whose radiation exerts pressure on the nebular material around them. In the direction toward the Sun, this pressure has already dispersed the remaining dust and gas from which the Trapezium stars formed. In the direction away from us, however, the radiation pressure continues to compress dust and gas, triggering the collapse of new stars.

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