Robby
02-15-2008, 10:43 AM
http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0802/Ophcloud_spitzer_c800.jpg (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0802/Ophcloud_spitzer.jpg)
Young Stars in the Rho Ophiuchi Cloud
Credit: NASA (http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html) JPL-Caltech (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/), Harvard-Smithsonian CfA (http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/)
Explanation: Cosmic dust clouds and embedded newborn stars glow at infrared wavelengths (http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/ ir_tutorial/what_is_ir.html) in this tantalizing false-color view from the Spitzer (http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/spitzer/ index.shtml) Space Telescope. Pictured is (http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/Media/releases/ssc2008-03/ index.shtml) of one of the closest star forming regions, part of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070903.html) some 400 light-years distant near the southern edge of the pronounceable (http://www.astronomyclub.org/learn/Say_What.htm) constellation Ophiuchus (http://hawastsoc.org/deepsky/oph/index.html). The view spans about 5 light-years at that estimated distance. After forming along a large cloud (http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/Bima/ StarForm.html) of cold molecular hydrogen gas, newborn stars heat the surrounding dust to produce the infrared glow. An exploration (http://arxiv.org/abs/0709.3492) of the region in penetrating infrared light has detected some 300 emerging and newly formed stars whose average age is estimated to be a mere 300,000 years -- extremely young compared to the Sun's age (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun#Life_cycle) of 5 billion years.
(Via NASA (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080215.html))
Young Stars in the Rho Ophiuchi Cloud
Credit: NASA (http://www.nasa.gov/home/index.html) JPL-Caltech (http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/), Harvard-Smithsonian CfA (http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/)
Explanation: Cosmic dust clouds and embedded newborn stars glow at infrared wavelengths (http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/cosmic_classroom/ ir_tutorial/what_is_ir.html) in this tantalizing false-color view from the Spitzer (http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/spitzer/ index.shtml) Space Telescope. Pictured is (http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/Media/releases/ssc2008-03/ index.shtml) of one of the closest star forming regions, part of the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap070903.html) some 400 light-years distant near the southern edge of the pronounceable (http://www.astronomyclub.org/learn/Say_What.htm) constellation Ophiuchus (http://hawastsoc.org/deepsky/oph/index.html). The view spans about 5 light-years at that estimated distance. After forming along a large cloud (http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/Bima/ StarForm.html) of cold molecular hydrogen gas, newborn stars heat the surrounding dust to produce the infrared glow. An exploration (http://arxiv.org/abs/0709.3492) of the region in penetrating infrared light has detected some 300 emerging and newly formed stars whose average age is estimated to be a mere 300,000 years -- extremely young compared to the Sun's age (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sun#Life_cycle) of 5 billion years.
(Via NASA (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap080215.html))