ESO: The Light and Dark Face of a Star-Forming Nebula

Find out the latest thinking about our universe.
Post Reply
User avatar
bystander
Apathetic Retiree
Posts: 21571
Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 2:06 pm
Location: Oklahoma

ESO: The Light and Dark Face of a Star-Forming Nebula

Post by bystander » Wed Mar 31, 2010 2:40 pm

The Light and Dark Face of a Star-Forming Nebula
eso1014 - 2010 Mar 31
Today, ESO is unveiling an image of the little known Gum 19, a faint nebula that, in the infrared, appears dark on one half and bright on the other. On one side hot hydrogen gas is illuminated by a supergiant blue star called V391 Velorum. New star formation is taking place within the ribbon of luminous and dark material that brackets V391 Velorum’s left in this perspective. After many millennia, these fledgling stars, coupled with the explosive demise of V391 Velorum as a supernova, will likely alter Gum 19’s present Janus-like appearance.
Image
Star-forming region Gum 19 (ESO)
Image
Area Around Gum 19 (ESO/Digitized Sky Survey 2)

Post Reply