Explanation:
How do stars form?
To help study this complex issue, astronomers took a
deep image in infrared light of an active part of our
Milky Way Galaxy
where star formation is rampant.
In IRDC G11.11-0.11, thick clouds of
dust and gas are congealing into stars
that are so dark that humans living there would see an empty night sky.
The image, though, taken last year by the
Spitzer
Space Telescope in infrared light,
shows vast glowing fields of gas and dust,
indicating that much of this dust is heated by forming stars.
The centers of some clouds, such as the
snake-like structure
on the upper left, are so thick and cold that they are dark even in
infrared light.
Many of the red dots are glowing
dust shrouds
centered on very young newly formed stars.
The unusual red sphere below the snake is actually a
supernova remnant,
the glowing shell of a young star so massive it evolved rapidly and exploded.
The region spans about 150 light years and
lies about 10,000
light years
away toward the
constellation of Sagittarius.
APOD editor to review best space pictures in Philadelphia Wednesday night
