Астронет: Астрономическая картинка дня NGC 7822 в Цефее http://variable-stars.ru/db/msg/1804253/eng |
Credit & Copyright: Mark Carter
Explanation:
Hot, young stars and
cosmic pillars
of gas and dust seem to crowd into NGC 7822.
At the edge of a giant
molecular cloud toward the northern
constellation Cepheus, the glowing star forming region
lies about 3,000 light-years away.
Within the nebula, bright edges and dark shapes stand out in this
colorful
telescopic skyscape.
The image includes data from
narrowband filters,
mapping emission from atomic oxygen, hydrogen, and sulfur into blue,
green, and red hues.
The emission line and color combination has become well-known as the
Hubble
palette.
The atomic emission is
powered by energetic radiation from
the central hot stars.
Their powerful winds and radiation sculpt and erode
the denser pillar shapes and clear out a
characteristic cavity light-years across
the center of the natal cloud.
Stars could still be forming inside the pillars by
gravitational
collapse but as the pillars are
eroded away, any forming stars will ultimately be cutoff from their
reservoir of
star
stuff.
This field of view spans about 40 light-years at the estimated distance
of NGC 7822.
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.