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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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Towering Infernos
Title
Towering Infernos
Title
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Description:
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This majestic false-color image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows the "mountains" where stars are born. Dubbed "Mountains of Creation" by Spitzer scientists, these towering pillars of cool gas and dust are illuminated at their tips with light from warm, embryonic stars.
The new infrared picture is reminiscent of Hubble's iconic visible-light image of the Eagle Nebula (inset), which also features a star-forming region, or nebula, that is being sculpted into pillars by radiation and winds from hot, massive stars. The pillars in the Spitzer image are part of a region called W5, in the Cassiopeia constellation 7,000 light-years away and 50 light-years across. They are more than 10 times in the size of those in the Eagle Nebula (shown to scale here).
The Spitzer's view differs from Hubble's because infrared light penetrates dust, whereas visible light is blocked by it. In the Spitzer image, hundreds of forming stars (white/yellow) can seen for the first time inside the central pillar, and dozens inside the tall pillar to the left. Scientists believe these star clusters were triggered into existence by radiation and winds from an "initiator" star more than 10 times the mass of our Sun. This star is not pictured, but the finger-like pillars "point" toward its location above the image frame.
The Spitzer picture also reveals stars (blue) a bit older than the ones in the pillar tips in the evacuated areas between the clouds. Scientists believe these stars were born around the same time as the massive initiator star not pictured. A third group of young stars occupies the bright area below the central pillar. It is not known whether these stars formed in a related or separate event. Some of the blue dots are foreground stars that are not members of this nebula.
The red color in the Spitzer image represents organic molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These building blocks of life are often found in star-forming clouds of gas and dust. Like small dust grains, they are heated by the light from the young stars, then emit energy in infrared wavelengths.
This image was taken by the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) on Spitzer. It is a 4-color composite of infrared light, showing emissions from wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange), and 8.0 microns (red).
Description
This majestic false-color image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows the "mountains" where stars are born. Dubbed "Mountains of Creation" by Spitzer scientists, these towering pillars of cool gas and dust are illuminated at their tips with light from warm, embryonic stars.
The new infrared picture is reminiscent of Hubble's iconic visible-light image of the Eagle Nebula (inset), which also features a star-forming region, or nebula, that is being sculpted into pillars by radiation and winds from hot, massive stars. The pillars in the Spitzer image are part of a region called W5, in the Cassiopeia constellation 7,000 light-years away and 50 light-years across. They are more than 10 times in the size of those in the Eagle Nebula (shown to scale here).
The Spitzer's view differs from Hubble's because infrared light penetrates dust, whereas visible light is blocked by it. In the Spitzer image, hundreds of forming stars (white/yellow) can seen for the first time inside the central pillar, and dozens inside the tall pillar to the left. Scientists believe these star clusters were triggered into existence by radiation and winds from an "initiator" star more than 10 times the mass of our Sun. This star is not pictured, but the finger-like pillars "point" toward its location above the image frame.
The Spitzer picture also reveals stars (blue) a bit older than the ones in the pillar tips in the evacuated areas between the clouds. Scientists believe these stars were born around the same time as the massive initiator star not pictured. A third group of young stars occupies the bright area below the central pillar. It is not known whether these stars formed in a related or separate event. Some of the blue dots are foreground stars that are not members of this nebula.
The red color in the Spitzer image represents organic molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These building blocks of life are often found in star-forming clouds of gas and dust. Like small dust grains, they are heated by the light from the young stars, then emit energy in infrared wavelengths.
This image was taken by the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) on Spitzer. It is a 4-color composite of infrared light, showing emissions 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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2005/11/09
Release_Date
2005/11/09
Release Date
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Press Release:
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Press_Release
Press Release
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Release Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Release_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Release Credit
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Image Credit:
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NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Image Credit
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Object type:
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Star forming region
Object_type
Star forming region
Object type
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Position (J2000):
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*RA: *03h01m56.00s *Dec: *60d35m50.00s
Position_(J2000)
*RA: *03h01m56.00s *Dec: *60d35m50.00s
Position (J2000)
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Distance:
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2000 pc; 7000 light-years
Distance
2000 pc; 7000 light-years
Distance
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Constellation:
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Cassiopeia
Constellation
Cassiopeia
Constellation
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Wavelength:
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3.6 (blue), 4.5 (green), 5.8 (orange), 8.0 (red) microns
Wavelength
3.6 (blue), 4.5 (green), 5.8 (orange), 8.0 (red) microns
Wavelength
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Image scale:
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34 x 26 arcmin
Image_scale
34 x 26 arcmin
Image scale
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Observers:
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Lori Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Joseph Hora (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Luis Chavarria (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Lynne Deutsch (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Observers
Lori Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Joseph Hora (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Luis Chavarria (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Lynne Deutsch (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
Observers
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Instrument:
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IRAC
Instrument
IRAC
Instrument
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Orientation:
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North is 84 deg CCW from up
Orientation
North is 84 deg CCW from up
Orientation
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Related links:
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Related_links
Related links
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note:
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*Spitzer image (full field)* Screen-Resolution (450x335): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2005-23a1_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (3426x2548): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA)
note
*Spitzer image (full field)* Screen-Resolution (450x335): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2005-23a1_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (3426x2548): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Allen (Harvard-Smithsonian CfA) note
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note:
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*Hubble's* Screen-Resolution (456x450): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2005-23b1_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (1518x1497): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/ ESA/STScI/J. Hester & P. Scowen (Arizona State University)
note
*Hubble's* Screen-Resolution (456x450): JPEG [ http://ipac.jpl.nas…ssc2005-23b1_small.j pg ] High-Resolution (1518x1497): JPEG | Mac TIFF | PC TIFF Credit: NASA/ ESA/STScI/J. Hester & P. Scowen (Arizona State 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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Visible Light
facet_what
Visible Light
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Sun
facet_what
Sun
facet_what
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facet_what:
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Cassiopeia
facet_what
Cassiopeia
facet_what
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facet_what:
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W5
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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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Arizona
facet_where
Arizona
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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facet_where:
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Washington, D.C.
facet_where
Washington, D.C.
facet_where
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Image #:
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ssc2005-23b
Image_#
ssc2005-23b
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-ssc2005-23 b
UID
SPD-SPITZ-ssc2005-23 b
UID
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