A dynamic portrait of stellar birth

On Sale Now!

		The June 2013 issue of Astronomy Now is on sale! Order direct from our store (free 1st class post & to UK addresses). The Astronomy Now iPad/iPhone editions are now available worldwide in the iTunes store.

Top Stories

		Earthshine used to test life detection method ...By imagining the Earth as an exoplanet, scientists observing our planet's reflected light on the Moon with ESO's Very Large Telescope have demonstrated a way to detect life on other worlds... READ MORE Solid buckyballs discovered in space ...Astronomers using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope have detected a particular type of molecule, given the nickname “buckyball”, in a solid form for the first time... READ MORE Steamy water-world gets the Hubble treatment ...Hubble Space Telescope observations of a 7 Earth-mass planet find an unusual water-rich world swathed in a thick, steamy atmosphere... READ MORE

A dynamic portrait of
stellar birth
DR EMILY BALDWIN
ASTRONOMY NOW
Posted: 12 February 2010

A colourful new image from the Gemini North Telescope reveals the chaotic nature of stellar nursery Sharpless 2-106.

This colour composite image shows the nursery of a massive star (hidden within the cloud) obtained with four narrow-band optical filters available for Gemini users at both Gemini North and South. Image: Gemini Observatory/AURA.

The hourglass-shaped star forming region is located some 2,000 light years away towards the constellation Cygnus and spans two light years long and half a light year wide. Its central star, up to 15 times the mass of our own Sun, was spawned around 100,000 years ago and will eventually embark on the relatively short lifetime of a fully fledged massive star.

This newborn star is controlling the bipolar shape of the nebula, ejecting powerful winds that exceed 200 kilometres per second and carry material from deep within the star to sculpt the surrounding gas and dust. Probing the stellar nursery even deeper reveals that many other sub-stellar objects are also forming within the cloud, which may someday result in a cluster of 50 to 150 stars in this region.

Gemini optical (left) and Subaru near-infrared (right) images of Sharpless 2-106. Comparison of these images reveal the various features visible by studying regions of gas and dust in different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. Images: Gemini Observatory/AURA; Subaru Telescope, National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.

The intricate detail of Sharpless 2-106 was revealed by new filters attached to the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph (GMOS) that transmit very specific colours of visible light emitted by excited hydrogen (red), helium (violet), oxygen (green), and sulphur (blue) as the radiation from energetic young stars collides with the surrounding gas.

Infinity Rising

This special publication features the photography of British astro-imager Nik Szymanek and covers a range of photographic methods from basic to advanced. Beautiful pictures of the night sky can be obtained with a simple camera and tripod before tackling more difficult projects, such as guided astrophotography through the telescope and CCD imaging.

U.K. STORE

E.U. STORE

U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

Hubble Reborn
Hubble Reborn takes the reader on a journey through the Universe with spectacular full-colour pictures of galaxies, nebulae, planets and stars as seen through Hubble's eyes, along the way telling the dramatic story of the space telescope, including interviews with key scientists and astronauts.
U.K. STORE
E.U. STORE
U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

The Planets
From tiny Mercury to distant Neptune and Pluto, The Planets profiles each of the Solar System's members in depth, featuring the latest imagery from space missions. The tallest mountains, the deepest canyons, the strongest winds, raging atmospheric storms, terrain studded with craters and vast worlds of ice are just some of the sights you'll see on this 100-page tour of the planets.
U.K. STORE
E.U. STORE
U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

3D Universe
Witness the most awesome sights of the Universe as they were meant to be seen in this 100-page extravaganza of planets, galaxies and star-scapes, all in 3D!
U.K. STORE
E.U. STORE
U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE

Mars rover poster

This new poster features some of the best pictures from NASA's amazing Mars Exploration Rovers Spirit and Opportunity.

U.K. STORE

E.U. STORE

U.S. & WORLDWIDE STORE