NGC 7822: Stars and Dust Pillars in Infrared
Explanation:
Young stars themselves are clearing out their nursery in NGC 7822.
Within
the nebula, bright edges and complex dust sculptures
dominate this
detailed skyscape taken in
infrared light by NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer
(
WISE) satellite.
NGC 7822 lies at the edge of a giant
molecular cloud toward the northern
constellation
Cepheus, a glowing star forming region that
lies about 3,000 light-years away.
The atomic emission of light by the nebula's gas is
powered by energetic radiation from
the hot stars, whose powerful
winds and light also sculpt
and erode the denser pillar shapes.
Stars could still be forming
inside the pillars by
gravitational collapse, but as the pillars are
eroded away, any forming stars will ultimately be
cut off
from their reservoir of
star stuff.
This field spans around 40
light-years at the estimated distance of
NGC 7822.
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Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
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NASA Official: Jay Norris.
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rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
