IRAS View of the Vela/Puppis Region

A view of the Vela/Puppis region of our Milky Way Galaxy is shown in this image constructed from nine fields of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) Sky Survey Atlas. This mosaic covers approximately 35 degrees on each side and extends over the constellations of Puppis and Vela. It is a composite of 12 micron (coded blue), 25 micron (coded green), and 60 micron (coded red) wavelengths. Stars are brighter at 12 microns and appear as blue dots in the picture. The cooler, diffuse 60 micron emission (red) is from interstellar dust grains, heated by the local stellar radiation field.