Hubble Space Telescope captures stunning image of massive star formation in cosmic artwork
The NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of the star-forming region IRAS 16562-3959 in the Milky Way Galaxy, located about 5,900 light-years away in the Scorpius constellation. This cosmic artwork showcases a vibrant display of colors and activities.
Hubble’s resolution palette
A mesmerizing snapshot composed by the Hubble Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3 reveals the subtleties of IRAS 16562-3959 through the lens of four special filters. Resembling thin strips of expertly crafted material, these filters selectively allow certain wavelengths of light to pass through, providing a detailed study of the composition, temperature, and density of an area.
The Enigmatic Core
At the heart of the image is IRAS 16562-3959, which hosts a massive star that is still in the process of forming and has a mass of about 30 times the mass of our Sun. The surrounding darkness, obscured by light-obscuring dust, is pierced by near-infrared light from two sides—top left and bottom right—where the powerful jet from the rising protostar has removed the blocking particles. This complex dance of shadows and illumination offers valuable insights into the birth of the most massive and luminous stars in our galaxy.
NASA also shared the ethereal beauty of this celestial event on Instagram, and the space agency offered a behind-the-scenes look at star formation. “This #HubbleFriday view shows IRAS 16562-3959, where a huge star, about 30 times the mass of our sun, is forming. This star garden in the constellation Scorpius is just 5,900 light years away,” wrote. NASA.
In developing its depiction of the sky, NASA described the image as depicting a “star-studded nebula” whose center glows brilliantly in the light of new star birth, partially obscured by dark dust. Colored layers of gas and dust bubble up beautifully in the rest of the image, creating a mesmerizing spectacle. The nebula is adorned by foreground stars, each surrounded by large diffraction spikes, adding to the cosmic symphony captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.
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