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Collection:
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NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
NASA Spitzer Space Telescope Collection
Collection
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Title:
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A New Star Cluster
Title
A New Star Cluster
Title
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Description:
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Using an automated computer method to sift through data collected by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers on the Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE) team found a new star cluster (inset) in our Milky Way galaxy, in the northern constellation Aquila (main image).
The new cluster is seen in the center of the red nebula, or star-forming cloud, as the grouping of small blue, yellow, and green stars. The wisps of red are organic molecules within the dust which have been illuminated by nearby star formation. Green indicates the presence of hot hydrogen gas. Blue predominantly reveals older stars. The bright white arc located to the lower left side of the central star cluster shows the area where a massive star is forming.
For years, dense obscuring clouds of dust have blocked the central cluster from optical view. The high density of the stars triggered the GLIMPSE team's automatic cluster-finding computer program to the presence of this cluster. There are still some dust clouds even in the heart of this cluster, as seen in the inset, indicating, that stars are probably still being formed today. With time, these clouds will disappear as more stars form.
The infrared image was captured with the Spitzer's infrared array camera (IRAC). The picture is a 4-channel false-color composite, showing emission from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange) and 8.0 microns (red).
Description
Using an automated computer method to sift through data collected by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers on the Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire (GLIMPSE) team found a new star cluster (inset) in our Milky Way galaxy, in the northern constellation Aquila (main image).
The new cluster is seen in the center of the red nebula, or star-forming cloud, as the grouping of small blue, yellow, and green stars. The wisps of red are organic molecules within the dust which have been illuminated by nearby star formation. Green indicates the presence of hot hydrogen gas. Blue predominantly reveals older stars. The bright white arc located to the lower left side of the central star cluster shows the area where a massive star is forming.
For years, dense obscuring clouds of dust have blocked the central cluster from optical view. The high density of the stars triggered the GLIMPSE team's automatic cluster-finding computer program to the presence of this cluster. There are still some dust clouds even in the heart of this cluster, as seen in the inset, indicating, that stars are probably still being formed today. With time, these clouds will disappear as more stars form.
The infrared image was captured with the Spitzer's infrared array camera (IRAC). The picture is a 4-channel false-color composite, showing emission from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange) and 8.0 microns (red).
Description
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Release Date:
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2005/12/12
Release_Date
2005/12/12
Release Date
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Release Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/E. Mercer (Boston University)
Release_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/E. Mercer (Boston University)
Release Credit
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Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/E. Mercer (Boston University)
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/E. Mercer (Boston University)
Image Credit
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Object type:
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Star cluster
Object_type
Star cluster
Object type
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Constellation:
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Aquila (the Eagle)
Constellation
Aquila (the Eagle)
Constellation
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Wavelength:
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3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange), 8.0 microns (red)
Wavelength
3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange), 8.0 microns (red)
Wavelength
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Observers:
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Emily Mercer (Boston University)
Dan Clemens (Boston University)
Ed Churchwell (Univ. Wisconsin)
Marilyn Meade (Univ. Wisconsin)
Brian Babler (Univ. Wisconsin)
Barbra Whitney (Space Science Institute)
and the GLIMPSE Team
Observers
Emily Mercer (Boston University)
Dan Clemens (Boston University)
Ed Churchwell (Univ. Wisconsin)
Marilyn Meade (Univ. Wisconsin)
Brian Babler (Univ. Wisconsin)
Barbra Whitney (Space Science Institute)
and the GLIMPSE Team
Observers
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Instrument:
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IRAC
Instrument
IRAC
Instrument
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note:
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*The nebula in which the new star cluster is located* Screen-Resolution (450x450): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…sig05-024a_small.jpg ] High-Resolution (1340x1340): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/E. Mercer (Boston University)
note
*The nebula in which the new star cluster is located* Screen-Resolution (450x450): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…sig05-024a_small.jpg ] High-Resolution (1340x1340): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/E. Mercer (Boston University) note
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note:
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*New star cluster* Screen-Resolution (450x450): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…sig05-024b_small.jpg ] High-Resolution (786x786): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/E. Mercer (Boston University)
note
*New star cluster* Screen-Resolution (450x450): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…sig05-024b_small.jpg ] High-Resolution (786x786): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/E. Mercer (Boston University) note
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facet_what:
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Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Aquila
facet_what
Aquila
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
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facet_where:
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Wisconsin
facet_where
Wisconsin
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Milky Way Galaxy
facet_where
Milky Way Galaxy
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Boston
facet_where
Boston
facet_where
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facet_where:
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Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
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Image #:
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sig05-024
Image_#
sig05-024
Image #
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original url:
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original_url
original url
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UID:
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SPD-SPITZ-sig05-024
UID
SPD-SPITZ-sig05-024
UID
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