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Explanation: This mosaic of x-ray images cuts a swath across the photogenic Rosette Nebula, a stellar nursery 5,000 light-years from Earth in the constellation Monoceros, the Unicorn. Constructed from data recorded by the orbiting Chandra X-ray Observatory, the mosaic spans less than 100 light-years and is color coded to show low energies in red and high energy x-rays in blue. At the upper right is the young star cluster NGC 2244, central to the Rosette Nebula itself. The hot outer layers of the massive stars are seen to be copious sources of x-rays, but a diffuse x-ray glow also pervades this cluster of newborn stars. Since these stars are so young (less than few million years old!) the diffuse x-ray emission is thought to powered by energetic, colliding stellar winds rather than remnants of supernovae explosions, a final act in the life cycle of a massive star. Moving away from the center, south and east across the nebula (upper right to lower left), the hot, blustery environment gives way to dense molecular gas, absorbing low energy x-rays while revealing the penetrating high energy x-rays from embedded stars.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: Rosette Nebula - stellar wind
Publications with words: Rosette Nebula - stellar wind
See also:
- APOD: 2026 July 27 Á NGC 7635: The Bubble Nebula
- APOD: 2026 May 22 Á The Nebulous Realm of WR 134
- Roses are Red
- APOD: 2025 July 16 Á The Rosette Nebula from DECam
- APOD: 2025 June 17 Á Rosette Nebula Deep Field
- A Cosmic Rose: NGC 2237 in Monoceros
- APOD: 2024 November 17 Á LDN 1471: A Windblown Star Cavity