Hubble captures stellar fireworks

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Hubble captures
stellar fireworks
DR EMILY BALDWIN
ASTRONOMY NOW
Posted: 7 July 2010

Hubble's latest offering captures a spectacular fireworks display of stars bursting into life through colourful nebulous clouds of gas and dust.

Image: NASA, ESA, R. O'Connell (University of Virginia), F. Paresce (National Institute for Astrophysics, Bologna, Italy), E. Young (Universities Space Research Association/Ames Research Center), the WFC3 Science Oversight Committee, and the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA).

Fierce winds of ultraviolet radiation streaming from the newborn stars have carved out a giant cavity in the gas and dust that cocooned the cluster, giving a clear view of the glittering ball of stars.

The inhabitants of NGC 3603 were all born at similar times, but they range in size, mass, temperature and colour. Since a star's longevity is defined by its mass, with larger stars burning through their fuel more rapidly, clusters such as NGC 3603 contain stars at various stages of the stellar life cycle. NGC 3603 in particular hosts some extremely massive stars, which will eventually explode in dramatic supernovae events.

NGC 3603 is located 20,000 light years away in the constellation Carina. The image was captured in August and December 2009 with Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 in visible and infrared light, which highlight the glow of sulphur, hydrogen and iron.

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