Astronomers Discover Giant Star-Forming Clouds Unusually Near Earth

One of the most immense singular formations observed in the cosmos, these expansive hydrogen gas clouds, have been found surprisingly close to Earth.

Naming it EOS, after the Greek goddess of dawn, the cloud was discovered through the faint ultraviolet light emitted by hydrogen molecules.

Referred to as molecular clouds, these colossal structures of gas and dust serve as nurseries for new stars.

Historically, astronomers have depended on radio and infrared telescopes to locate these clouds, detecting the carbon monoxide signature. However, scientists took a distinct approach to uncover EOS.

“This marks the first molecular cloud identified through the direct search for distant ultraviolet emissions of molecular hydrogen,” stated Professor Blakesley Burkhart, the leading researcher on the project.

“The data revealed glowing hydrogen molecules detected through fluorescence in distant ultraviolet rays. This cloud truly shines in the dark.”

Situated just 300 light years from Earth at the confines of a gas-rich area known as the local bubble, EOS spans a region of sky comparable to a full moon width of 40 and possesses approximately 3,400 times the sun’s mass.

Despite its size and proximity, it remained concealed due to being “co-dark,” which indicates a deficiency of carbon monoxide that traditional detection methods rely on.

“The discovery of EOS is thrilling because it allows us to directly observe the formation and dissociation of molecular clouds and how galaxies transform interstellar gases and dust into stars and planets,” Burkhart commented.

Dr. Thavisha Dharmawardena noted, “During my graduate studies, I was informed that observing molecular hydrogen wasn’t straightforward.”

The data was acquired using a Faltraviolet spectrometer installed on the Korean satellite STSAT-1. Published in 2023, Burkhart quickly unearthed a concealed structure.

“The story of the cosmos is one of billions of years of atomic transformation,” Burkhart explained.

“The hydrogen found in the EOS cloud dates back to the Big Bang and eventually fell into our galaxy, merging near the sun. Thus, these hydrogen atoms have traveled a remarkable 13.6 billion-year journey.”

The research findings were published in the journal Natural Astronomy.

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