NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope captured the star-forming region IRAS 16562-3959. (ESA/NASA)
[The Epoch Times, February 18, 2024](Epoch Times reporter Chen Juncun reported) The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently shared a gorgeous and colorful picture, which shows the vibrant star-forming region IRAS 16562-3959 , a massive star is forming in the center of this region.
NASA’s website released an image of IRAS 16562-3959 on February 16. This image was synthesized from data observed by the agency’s Hubble Space Telescope’s Wide Field Camera 3.
IRAS 16562-3959 is located in the Milky Way and is considered a relatively nearby star forming region. It is located about 5,900 light-years away in the direction of the constellation Scorpius.
The subtle differences in color in this image are due to the astronomers using four different filters to collect the data. These thin filters are highly specialized materials that slide in front of the telescope’s light sensor to let through the specific wavelengths of light seen for each observation.
Specific wavelengths of light can tell astronomers the composition, temperature and density of a region, which is useful not only for specific scientific research, but also for the production of images like this one.
No matter which filter is used, the raw observations from the telescope are always monochromatic. But specially trained artists and imaging experts can select colors that match the range of wavelengths covered by each filter. Or, where a direct match isn’t possible, the artist can choose a color that reasonably expresses what’s going on.
For example, they could assign bluer colors to shorter wavelengths and redder colors to longer wavelengths, just like in the visible range. Data from multiple filters can then be combined to form a multi-color picture that is both beautiful and scientifically interesting.
The image of IRAS 16562-3959 released by NASA may contain a huge star in the center. It has a mass about 30 times that of the Sun and is still in the process of forming.
In near-infrared wavelengths observed by the Hubble Space Telescope, the central region of this image looks dark because it is obscured by a lot of dust. However, near-infrared light leaks mainly from the upper left and lower right sides, where dust has been cleared away by powerful jets from giant protostars.
Multi-wavelength images, including this stunning Hubble Space Telescope view, will help us better understand how the most massive and brightest stars in the Milky Way are born.
NASA’s website also released another image taken by the Hubble Space Telescope on February 14, which shows the sparkling globular star cluster NGC 2298. The cluster contains thousands of stars that are held together by gravitational interactions.
NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope photographed the globular star cluster NGC 2298. (NASA/Catholic University of America)
Unlike the star-forming region IRAS 16562-3959, where many new stars are formed, globular clusters are usually areas where older stars gather. Most of them are located in the dusty edges of galaxies.
Astronomers used the Hubble Space Telescope’s special ability to observe different wavelengths to study NGC 2298 through ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared light.
This valuable information can help astronomers better understand the properties of globular clusters, including their internal motions, orbits, and stellar evolution.
Editor in charge: Lin Yan#
