|
Collection:
|
|
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
NASA Planetary Photo Journal Collection
Collection
|
|
Title:
|
|
Star Formation in Henize 206
Title
Star Formation in Henize 206
Title
|
|
Original Caption Released with Image:
|
|
IRA-MIPS Composite
Visible
IRAC
MIPS
The LMC is a small satellite galaxy gravitationally bound to our own Milky Way. Yet the gravitational effects are tearing the companion to shreds in a long-playing drama of 'intergalactic cannibalism.' These disruptions lead to a recurring cycle of star birth and star death.
Astronomers are particularly interested in the LMC because its fractional content of heavy metals is two to five times lower than is seen in our solar neighborhood. [In this context, 'heavy elements' refer to those elements not present in the primordial universe. Such elements as carbon, oxygen and others are produced by nucleosynthesis and are ejected into the interstellar medium via mass loss by stars, including supernova explosions.] As such, the LMC provides a nearby cosmic laboratory that may resemble the distant universe in its chemical composition.
The primary Spitzer image, showing the wispy filamentary structure of Henize 206, is a four-color composite mosaic created by combining data from an infrared array camera (IRAC) at near-infrared wavelengths and the mid-infrared data from a multiband imaging photometer (MIPS). Blue represents invisible infrared light at wavelengths of 3.6 and 4.5 microns. Note that most of the stars in the field of view radiate primarily at these short infrared wavelengths. Cyan denotes emission at 5.8 microns, green depicts the 8.0 micron light, and red is used to trace the thermal emission from dust at 24 microns. The separate instrument images are included as insets to the main composite.
An inclined ring of emission dominates the central and upper regions of the image. This delineates a bubble of hot, x-ray emitting gas that was blown into space when a massive star died in a supernova explosion millions of years ago. The shock waves from that explosion impacted a cloud of nearby hydrogen gas, compressed it, and started a new generation of star formation. The death of one star led to the birth of many new stars. This is particularly evident in the MIPS inset, where the 24-micron emission peaks correspond to newly formed stars. The ultraviolet and visible-light photons from the new stars are absorbed by surrounding dust and re-radiated at longer infrared wavelengths, where it is detected by Spitzer.
This emission nebula was cataloged by Karl Henize (HEN-eyes) while spending 1948-1951 in South Africa doing research for his Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Michigan. Henize later became a NASA astronaut and, at age 59, became the oldest rookie to fly on the Space Shuttle during an eight-day flight of the Challenger in 1985. He died just short of his 67th birthday in 1993 while attempting to climb the north face of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.
Original_Caption_Rel eased_with_Image
IRA-MIPS Composite
Visible
IRAC
MIPS
The LMC is a small satellite galaxy gravitationally bound to our own Milky Way. Yet the gravitational effects are tearing the companion to shreds in a long-playing drama of 'intergalactic cannibalism.' These disruptions lead to a recurring cycle of star birth and star death.
Astronomers are particularly interested in the LMC because its fractional content of heavy metals is two to five times lower than is seen in our solar neighborhood. [In this context, 'heavy elements' refer to those elements not present in the primordial universe. Such elements as carbon, oxygen and others are produced by nucleosynthesis and are ejected into the interstellar medium via mass loss by stars, including supernova explosions.] As such, the LMC provides a nearby cosmic laboratory that may resemble the distant universe in its chemical composition.
The primary Spitzer image, showing the wispy filamentary structure of Henize 206, is a four-color composite mosaic created by combining data from an infrared array camera (IRAC) at near-infrared wavelengths and the mid-infrared data from a multiband imaging photometer (MIPS). Blue represents invisible infrared light at wavelengths of 3.6 and 4.5 microns. Note that most of the stars in the field of view radiate primarily at these short infrared wavelengths. Cyan denotes emission at 5.8 microns, green depicts the 8.0 micron light, and red is used to trace the thermal emission from dust at 24 microns. The separate instrument images are included as insets to the main composite.
An inclined ring of emission dominates the central and upper regions of the image. This delineates a bubble of hot, x-ray emitting gas that was blown into space when a massive star died in a supernova explosion millions of years ago. The shock waves from that explosion impacted a cloud of nearby hydrogen gas, compressed it, and started a new generation of star formation. The death of one star led to the birth of many new stars. This is particularly evident in the MIPS inset, where the 24-micron emission peaks correspond to newly formed stars. The ultraviolet and visible-light photons from the new stars are absorbed by surrounding dust and re-radiated at longer infrared wavelengths, where it is detected by Spitzer.
This emission nebula was cataloged by Karl Henize (HEN-eyes) while spending 1948-1951 in South Africa doing research for his Ph.D. dissertation at the University of Michigan. Henize later became a NASA astronaut and, at age 59, became the oldest rookie to fly on the Space Shuttle during an eight-day flight of the Challenger in 1985. He died just short of his 67th birthday in 1993 while attempting to climb the north face of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak.
Original Caption Released with Image
|
|
Image Credit:
|
|
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Image_Credit
NASA/JPL-Caltech
Image Credit
|
|
Produced By:
|
|
California Institute of Technology
Produced_By
California Institute of Technology
Produced By
|
|
Mission:
|
|
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Mission
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Mission
|
|
Spacecraft:
|
|
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Spacecraft
Spitzer Space Telescope (SST)
Spacecraft
|
|
Instrument:
|
|
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
Instrument
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
Instrument
|
|
Instrument:
|
|
Multiband Imaging Photometer for SIRTF (MIPS)
Instrument
Multiband Imaging Photometer for SIRTF (MIPS)
Instrument
|
|
Product Size:
|
|
2262 samples x 1899 lines
Product_Size
2262 samples x 1899 lines
Product Size
|
|
facet_who:
|
|
Karl Henize
facet_who
Karl Henize
facet_who
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
SST
facet_what
SST
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
TRACE
facet_what
TRACE
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
Spitzer Space Telescope
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
MIPS
facet_what
MIPS
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Multiband Imaging Photometer for SIRTF
facet_what
Multiband Imaging Photometer for SIRTF
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
SIRTF
facet_what
SIRTF
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Challenger
facet_what
Challenger
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Space Shuttle Orbiter
facet_what
Space Shuttle Orbiter
facet_what
|
|
facet_what:
|
|
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
Infrared Array Camera (IRAC)
facet_what
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
California
facet_where
California
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
South Africa
facet_where
South Africa
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Michigan
facet_where
Michigan
facet_where
|
|
facet_where:
|
|
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
facet_where
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
1993
facet_when
1993
facet_when
|
|
facet_when:
|
|
1985
facet_when
1985
facet_when
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
1993
facet_when_year
1993
facet_when_year
|
|
facet_when_year:
|
|
1985
facet_when_year
1985
facet_when_year
|
|
Image #:
|
|
PIA05517
|
|
UID:
|
|
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA05517
UID
SPD-PHOTJ-PIA05517
UID
|
|
orignial url:
|
orignial_url
orignial url
|
