Star Forming Region Hubble X
Explanation:
In nearby galaxy NGC 6822,
this glowing emission nebula complex
surrounds bright, massive, newborn stars.
A mere 4 million years young, these stars condensed
from the galaxy's interstellar gas and dust clouds.
The
nebular glow is powered by the bright stars' intense
ultraviolet radiation
while its shape is sculpted by the interaction of stellar
winds and radiation with the immense interstellar clouds themselves.
Cataloged as Hubble-X,
many skygazers find the appearance of this extragalactic
star forming region reminiscent of
the most famous stellar nursery in our own galaxy,
the Orion Nebula.
Hubble-X is
intrinsically much brighter than Orion though,
and at a distance of
1.6 million light-years it is about 1,000 times farther away.
Hubble-X is also about 100 light-years across
compared to 10 light-years
for the Orion Nebula.
Why is it called Hubble-X?
X is the
Roman
numeral 10, this nebula's designation in a catalog
of similar objects for
galaxy NGC 6822.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
