Tag Archives: StarForming

Hubble Captures Stunning Images of Star-Forming Clouds in Nearby Dwarf Galaxy

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Explore the stunning new image captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, showcasing a section of the N159 star-forming complex located in the Large Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy approximately 160,000 light-years away from Earth.

This breathtaking Hubble image portrays N159, a vibrant star-forming complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Image credit: NASA / ESA / Hubble / R. Indebetouw.

N159 stands as one of the most colossal molecular clouds within the Large Magellanic Cloud, making it a noteworthy member of our cosmic neighborhood – the Milky Way galaxy.

Positioned at the southwestern edge of the renowned Tarantula Nebula, N159 spans over 150 light-years across.

The newly released Hubble image captures only a fraction of the expansive N159 complex.

“A dense cloud of cold hydrogen gas predominates the scene, creating a complex array of ridges, cavities, and luminescent filaments,” stated Hubble astronomers.

“Within these thick clouds, newly formed stars begin to blaze, their intense radiation illuminating the surrounding hydrogen in a striking crimson hue.”

“The brightest zones signify the presence of hot, massive young stars whose vigorous stellar winds and energetic light reshape the surrounding space.”

“These powerful forces carve out bubble-like formations and hollow cavities within the gas, clearly illustrating the effects of stellar feedback.”

“Dark clouds in the foreground glow thanks to a new star shining from behind.”

“The illuminated clouds and intricate bubbles reveal the dynamic interplay between star formation and the primordial matter from which stars arise, capturing the perpetual cycles of creation and transformation within this neighboring galaxy.”

Source: www.sci.news

ALMA Observes Spiral Gas Streamers Controlled by Magnetic Fields in Star-Forming Areas

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This stream of gas transports material from the clouds surrounding the star-forming area within Perseus directly into an emerging binary star system known as SVS 13A.

Artist’s impression of the SVS 13A system. Image credit: NSF/AUI/NSF’s NRAO/P.Vosteen.

Stars are formed from clouds of gas and dust, and recent observations indicate that the process of star formation is far more dynamic than previously understood.

New findings from the Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) reveal both dust and molecules swirling around the SVS 13A system. This data shows how the magnetic field not only permeates these stellar nurseries but actively directs the flow of matter, offering a preferred path for gas to accumulate in the disk where new stars and planets arise.

“Visualize a garden hose, but instead of water, it smoothly channels materials for star formation through intricate pathways carved by unseen forces,” explains Dr. Paulo Cortes, an astronomer at the NSF National Radio Astronomy Observatory and the joint ALMA telescope.

“This perspective from ALMA observations presents channels of gas known as subalfvénic streamers, regulated by spiral magnetic field lines.”

“This new data provides an insightful glimpse into the star formation process.”

“These streamers illustrate how magnetic fields can influence star formation by managing material influx, akin to a private highway facilitating car travel.”

ALMA’s images and findings uncover two spiral arms of dust encircling the star, with gas streams closely mirroring the same trajectory.

This remarkable configuration implies that the gas within the streamer is traversing at a slower pace than previously believed, reinforcing the concept of a magnetized channel rather than a chaotic, collapsing cloud.

The presence of such streamers, linking clouds to disks and supplying them with material in a managed fashion, indicates that both gravity and magnetism are crucial in the formation of stars and the shaping of potential planetary bodies around them.

This groundbreaking result signifies the first instance where astronomers have directly mapped both a streamer and its associated magnetic field in a single observation.

“Subalfvenic streamers indicate a fresh role for magnetic fields amidst gravitational dominance, acting as ‘guides’ to assist the descent of material from the outer envelope to the disk,” the astronomers remarked.

Upcoming findings are detailed in a paper in the Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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PC Cortez et al. 2025. First results from ALPPS: SVS 13A subalfvenic streamer. APJL 992, L31; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ae0c04

Source: www.sci.news

Hubble Space Telescope Captures Stunning Image of Star-Forming Spiral Galaxy NGC 685

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The NGC 685 is abundant in star-forming nebulae and appears as a dazzling pink cloud in recent images captured by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.

This Hubble image illustrates the Spiral Galaxy NGC 685 on the bar. The color images were created from individual exposures captured in ultraviolet light using Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) and derived from visible and near-infrared sections of the spectrum. Built upon data gathered through six filters, different hues are assigned to each monochromatic image related to a specific filter. Image credits: NASA/ESA/Hubble/J. Lee/F. Belfiore.

NGC 685 is situated approximately 64 million light-years away in the southern constellation of Eridanus.

Previously known as ESO 152-24, IRAS 01458-5300, or LEDA 6581, the galaxy was discovered by British astronomer John Herschel on October 3, 1834.

Spanning around 74,000 light-years, the galaxy features a luminous central bar and a distinctively curved arm.

“NGC 685 is classified as a barred spiral galaxy, with its delicate spiral arms emerging from the edge of a stellar bar at the heart of the galaxy,” Hubble astronomers stated.

“The Milky Way, while not a perfect spiral, is nearly twice the size of NGC 685.”

Astronomers utilized Hubble for two observational programs focused on star formation in NGC 685.

“It’s no surprise that NGC 685 was selected for these studies. The galaxy’s spiral arms are marked by numerous patches of young blue stars,” they noted.

“Many of these star clusters are enveloped by a vibrant pink gas cloud known as the H II region.”

“The H II region is a gas cloud that gleams momentarily, especially during the birth of a massive, hot star.”

“The particularly striking H II region can be seen near the lower edge of the image.”

“Despite the visible star-forming regions, NGC 685 converts gas into stars each year at a rate of less than half the mass of the sun.”

“The data collected by Hubble across two observational programs enables us to catalog 50,000 H II regions and 100,000 star clusters in nearby galaxies.”

“By merging Hubble’s sensitive visibility and ultraviolet observations with data from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope and wireless data from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, we explore the depths of dusty star nurseries and illuminate the stars within.”

Source: www.sci.news

Astronomers Discover Giant Star-Forming Clouds Unusually Near Earth

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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.”

https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2025/04/eos.mp4
Scientists have identified potential star-forming clouds, designated EO. It ranks among the largest single structures in the sky and is one of the nearest formations to the sun and earth ever observed.

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.

read more:

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Hubble photographs star-forming galaxies in close proximity

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This stunning view of a pair of spiral galaxies called Arp 72 is a violent collision occurring in slow motion, according to the Hubble team.

This image shows Arp 72, a galaxy pair that includes NGC 5996 (a large spiral galaxy) and NGC 5994 (a small companion star in the lower left of the image). The color images were taken in the visible and infrared regions of the spectrum using Hubble's Altitude Survey Camera (ACS) and the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) mounted on NSF's Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope. created from separate exposures. Cerro Toloro Interamerican Observatory in Chile. Four filters were used to sample different wavelengths. Color is obtained by assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter. Image credits: NASA / ESA / Hubble / L. Galvany / J. Dalcanton / Dark Energy Survey / DOE / FNAL / DECam / CTIO / NOIRLab / NSF / AURA.

of alp 72 system It is located approximately 160 million light years away in the constellation Serpens.

Arp 72 is made up of a strangely shaped spiral galaxy NGC 5996 and smaller, less deformed spiral galaxies NGC5994.

NGC 5996 was first discovered on March 21, 1784 by German-British astronomer William Herschel.

NGC 5994 is discovered Written by Irish engineer and astronomer Bindon Stoney on March 9, 1851.

“The centers of these galaxies are approximately 67,000 light-years apart from each other,” the Hubble astronomers said.

“Furthermore, the distance between galaxies at their closest points is even smaller, close to 40,000 light-years.”

“This may still sound vast, but from a galactic separation perspective, it's really, really cozy!”

“For comparison, the distance between the Milky Way and its closest independent galactic neighbor Andromeda is about 2.5 million light-years.”

“Alternatively, the distance between the Milky Way and its largest and brightest satellite galaxy, the Large Magellanic Cloud, is about 162,000 light-years.”

“Given this and the fact that NGC 5996 is roughly comparable in size to the Milky Way, it is not surprising that NGC 5996 and NGC 5994 are interacting,” the researchers said.

“In fact, this interaction may be responsible for distorting the helical shape of NGC 5996 and apparently pulling it toward NGC 5994.”

“That's also… Formation of very long and faint tails of stars and gas It curves away from NGC 5996 to the upper right of the image. ”

“This tidal tail is a common phenomenon that appears when galaxies approach each other, as seen in some Hubble images.”

Source: www.sci.news

Surprising Images of Nearby Star-Forming Regions Captured by Hubble

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astronomer using NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope We captured a vivid image of IRAS 16562-3959, a beautiful star-forming region in the constellation Scorpius.

This Hubble image shows IRAS 16562-3959, a star-forming region about 5,900 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. Image credits: NASA / ESA / Hubble / R. Fedriani / J. Tan.

IRAS 16562-3959The star, also known as 2MASX J16594225-4003451, is located 5,900 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius.

“At the center of the image, IRAS 16562-3959 is thought to contain a massive star with a mass approximately 30 times that of the Sun, which is still in the process of formation,” Hubble team members said in a statement. Ta.

“At the near-infrared wavelengths that Hubble detects, the central region appears dark because there is so much dust in the way.”

“Near-infrared light, however, primarily leaks out from two sides, the top left and bottom right, where powerful jets from massive protostars are removing dust.”

“The multi-wavelength images containing this amazing Hubble scene will help us better understand how the largest and brightest stars in the Milky Way are born.”

The new image of IRAS 16562-3959 was created from separate exposures taken in the near-infrared region of the spectrum. Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3).

Four filters were used to sample different wavelengths. Color is obtained by assigning different hues to each monochromatic image associated with an individual filter.

“A filter is a thin piece of highly specialized material that only allows light at very specific wavelengths to pass through,” the astronomer explained.

“We can slide them in front of the light-sensing part of the telescope, allowing us to control which wavelengths of light the telescope collects for each observation.”

“This is useful not only for certain scientific studies, but also for creating images like this.”

“Regardless of which filter was used, raw telescopic observations are always monochrome,” they added.

“However, specially trained artists and image professionals can choose colors that match the wavelength range covered by individual filters.”

“Alternatively, if a direct match is not possible, for example the data used in this image is all in the infrared range, to which the human eye is not sensitive, so the artist has chosen colors that are wisely representative of what they are trying to represent.” You can. It’s happening.”

“For example, shorter wavelengths might be assigned a bluer color and longer wavelengths a redder color, as is the case with the visible light range.”

“The data from multiple filters can then be combined to build multicolor images that look beautiful and have scientific meaning.”

Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s Observation of a Massive Star-Forming Complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud

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Use of Mid-infrared measuring instrument With (MIRI) aboard the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have captured stunning images of N79, a region of interstellar ionized hydrogen in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

This Hubble image shows star-forming region N79 located 163,000 light-years away in the constellation Sera. Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / M. Meixner.

N79 is a massive star-forming complex spanning about 1,630 light-years in the generally unexplored southwestern region of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring dwarf galaxy about 163,000 light-years from us.

This region is usually considered a younger version of the 30 Doradus, also known as the Tarantula Nebula.

N79 has a star formation efficiency more than twice that of Doradas 30 over the past 500,000 years.

This particular image centers on one of three giant molecular cloud complexes called N79 South (S1 for short).

The distinctive “starburst” pattern surrounding this bright object is a series of diffraction spikes.

“All telescopes that use mirrors to collect light, like Webb, have this form of artifact resulting from the design of the telescope,” Webb astronomers said.

“For Webb, the six largest starburst spikes appear due to the hexagonal symmetry of Webb's 18 primary mirror segments.”

“Such patterns are only noticeable around very bright and compact objects, where all the light comes from the same place.”

“Most galaxies appear very small to our eyes, but we don't see this pattern because they are dimmer and more spread out than a single star.”

“At the longer wavelengths of light captured by MIRI, Webb's view of N79 shows glowing gas and dust in the region.”

“This is because mid-infrared light can reveal what's going on deep within the cloud (whereas shorter wavelength light is absorbed or scattered by dust particles within the nebula). Still embedded Some protostars also appear in this region.”

Star-forming regions such as N79 are of interest to astronomers because their chemical composition is similar to that of giant star-forming regions observed in the early universe.

“The star-forming regions of our Milky Way galaxy are not producing stars at the same ferocious rate as N79 and have a different chemical composition,” the astronomers said.

“Webb now offers us the opportunity to compare and contrast observations of star formation in N79 with deep telescopic observations of distant galaxies in the early universe.”

“These observations of N79 are part of the Webb program to study the evolution of circumstellar disks and envelopes of forming stars over a wide range of masses and at different evolutionary stages.”

“Webb's sensitivity allows us to detect for the first time disks of planet-forming dust around stars of the same mass as the Sun at distances in the Large Magellanic Cloud.”

Source: www.sci.news

Webb finds small, free-floating brown dwarf in star-forming cluster IC 348

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The newly discovered brown dwarf is estimated to have a mass three to four times that of Jupiter, making it a strong candidate for the lowest mass free-floating brown dwarf ever directly imaged.

This image from Webb’s NIRCam instrument shows the central portion of star cluster IC 348. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / K. Luhman, Pennsylvania State University / C. Alves de Oliveira, ESA.

Brown dwarfs are cold, dark objects that are between the size of gas giant planets and Sun-like stars.

These objects, also known as failed stars, have star-like properties even though they are too small to sustain hydrogen fusion reactions in their cores.

Typically, their masses are between 11 and 16 Jupiter (the approximate mass that can sustain deuterium fusion) and 75 and 80 Jupiter (the approximate mass that can sustain hydrogen fusion).

“One of the basic questions you’ll find in any astronomy textbook is: What is the smallest star? That’s what we’re trying to answer,” said Kevin, an astronomer at Penn State University.・Dr. Luman said.

The newly discovered brown dwarf resides in IC 348, a star cluster 1,000 light-years away in the constellation Perseus.

The cluster, also known as Collinder 41, Gingrich 1, and Theia 17, contains nearly 400 stars and is about 5 million years old.

IC 348 is part of the larger Perseus star-forming region, and although it is normally invisible to the naked eye, it shines brightly when viewed at infrared wavelengths.

Dr. Luhmann and his colleagues used the following method to image the center of the star cluster. Webb’s NIRCam device Identify brown dwarf candidates based on their brightness and color.

They followed up on the most promising targets using: Webb’s NIRSpec microshutter array.

This process created three interesting targets with masses between three and eight Jupiters and surface temperatures between 830 and 1,500 degrees Celsius.

Computer models suggest that the smallest of these weighs just three to four times as much as Jupiter.

ESA astronomer Dr Catalina Alves de Oliveira said: “With current models, it is very easy to create a giant planet in a disk around a star.”

“But in this cluster, the object is unlikely to form as a disc, but instead as a star, with three Jupiters having a mass 300 times less than the Sun.”

“Then we have to ask how the star formation process takes place at such a very small mass.”

Two of the brown dwarfs identified by the research team exhibit spectral signatures of unidentified hydrocarbons, molecules that contain both hydrogen and carbon atoms.

The same infrared signature was detected in the atmospheres of Saturn and its moon Titan by NASA’s Cassini mission.

It has also been observed in the interstellar medium, the gas between stars.

“This is the first time this molecule has been detected in the atmosphere of an object outside our solar system,” Dr de Oliveira said.

“Models for brown dwarf atmospheres do not predict their existence. We are observing objects that are younger and have lower masses than ever before, and we are seeing something new and unexpected.” .”

a paper Regarding the survey results, astronomy magazine.

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KL Luman other. 2023. JWST survey of planetary mass brown dwarfs in IC 348. A.J. 167, 19; doi: 10.3847/1538-3881/ad00b7

Source: www.sci.news

12 Billion Years Ago, JWST Uncovers Secrets of Star-Forming Galaxies

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Thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers discover that most early galaxies from about 12 billion years ago had more glowing gas than stars due to interactions with neighboring galaxies. I was able to.

This groundbreaking result provides new insights into the evolution of galaxies and the early Universe, and highlights the transformative impact of JWST on astrophysics.

New images from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) have helped Australian astronomers uncover the secrets of how infant galaxies began a burst of star formation in the very early universe .Some early galaxies were rich in gas that shined brighter than emerging stars. In a new study, astronomers have discovered just how prevalent these bright galaxies were about 12 billion years ago. Images from JWST show that nearly 90% of galaxies in the early Universe had this glowing gas, creating so-called “extreme emission line features. An image of a distant polar emission galaxy. Observed by the James Webb Space Telescope (left) and the Hubble Space Telescope (right). This comparison highlights the sharpness of the JWST images. Credit: ARC Center of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D)

“The stars in these young galaxies were amazing, producing enough radiation to excite the gas around them. This gas, in turn, shined even brighter than the stars themselves.” said Dr. Anshu Gupta, Curtin University Node of the ARC Center for Three-Dimensional All-Sky Astrophysics (ASTRO 3D) and the International Radio Astronomy Research Center.Iqral), lead author of the paper describing this finding. “Until now, it has been difficult to understand how these galaxies are able to accumulate so much gas. Our discovery suggests that each of these galaxies had at least one neighboring galaxy. This suggests that interactions between these galaxies cool the gas and trigger intense star formation episodes, resulting in this extreme luminescence property.” Progress in observing galaxies in the early universe

This discovery is an example of the unparalleled clarity the JWST telescope provides in studying the early universe.

“The quality of data from the James Webb Telescope is exceptional,” says Dr. Gupta. “It has the depth and resolution necessary to observe the surroundings and neighboring galaxies of early galaxies, when the universe was just 2 billion years old. We were able to confirm that there are significant differences in the number of neighboring galaxies among galaxies that do not.”

The target galaxy observed by the James Webb Space Telescope (left) and the Hubble Space Telescope (right). The unprecedented resolution and sharpness of the JWST images allowed us to identify neighboring galaxies (cyan circles) that were not even visible to Hubble. Credit: ARC Center of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D

Until now, we’ve struggled to get clear images of galaxies whose universe is about 2 billion years old. Since many stars had not yet formed, there were far fewer galaxies to focus on, making the task even more difficult.“Before JWST, we could only get pictures of really huge galaxies, most of which were in very dense galaxy clusters, making them difficult to study,” says Dr. Gupta. “With the technology available at the time, it was not possible to observe 95% of the galaxies used in this study. His Webb telescope revolutionized our research.

An image of a distant polar emission galaxy. Observed by the James Webb Space Telescope (left) and the Hubble Space Telescope (right). This comparison highlights the sharpness of the JWST images. Credit: ARC Center of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics in 3 Dimensions (ASTRO 3D)

Checking previous assumptions
The discovery proved an earlier assumption, said fellow author Tran, associate director of ASTRO 3D and the Harvard University and Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. “We suspected that these extreme galaxies were signposts of intense interactions in the early universe, but only with JWST’s keen eye could we confirm our hunch.” she says.

The study is based on data obtained as part of the JWST Advanced Deep Extragacular Survey (JADES) survey, which uses deep infrared imaging and multi-object spectroscopy to explore the universe for the earliest galaxies. It paves the way for further insights. “What’s really interesting about this study is that we see similarities in emission lines between the first galaxies and galaxies that formed more recently and are easier to measure. It means we now have more ways to answer difficult questions about the early Universe,” said second author Ravi Jaiswal, PhD student at Curtin University/ICRAR and ASTRO 3D.

“This research is at the heart of the work of our Galaxy Evolution Programme. Understanding what earlier galaxies looked like will help us answer questions about the origins of the elements that make up all of our daily life on Earth. We can,” said Professor Emma Ryan-Weber, ASTRO 3D Director.

Reference: “MOSEL study: JWST reveals massive mergers/strong interactions in the early universe driving extreme emission lines” Anshu Gupta, Ravi Jaiswar, Vicente Rodriguez-Gomez, Ben Forrest, Kim -Vy Tran, Themiya Nanayakkara, Anishya Harshan, Elisabete Da Cunha, Glenn G. Kapsack, Michaela Harshman, of astrophysical journal.

DOI: 10.48550/arXiv.2311.02158

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