NGC 3572与南天的蝌蚪状云气

2022年5月6日

NGC 3572 and the Southern Tadpoles
Image Credit & Copyright: Carlos Taylor

Explanation: This cosmic skyscape features glowing gas and dark dust clouds along side the young stars of NGC 3572. A beautiful emission nebula and star cluster it sails far southern skies within the nautical constellation Carina. Stars from NGC 3572 are toward top center in the telescopic frame that would measure about 100 light-years across at the cluster’s estimated distance of 9,000 light-years. The visible interstellar gas and dust is part of the star cluster’s natal molecular cloud. Dense streamers of material within the nebula, eroded by stellar winds and radiation, clearly trail away from the energetic young stars. They are likely sites of ongoing star formation with shapes reminiscent of the Tadpoles of IC 410 better known to northern skygazers. In the coming tens to hundreds of millions of years, gas and stars in the cluster will be dispersed though, by gravitational tides and by violent supernova explosions that end the short lives of the massive cluster stars.

Tomorrow’s picture: firefall by moonlight

NGC 3572与南天的蝌蚪状云气
影像提供与版权: Carlos Taylor

说明: 这幅宇宙影像呈现NGC 3572里的年轻恒星附近之明亮云气和黝黑尘埃。NGC 3572是位在南极天空附近的船底座方向之美丽发射星云和星团。而在这幅望远镜影像中上缘附近的NGC 3572恒星，依此星团约9,000光年的距离来换算，跨幅约有100光年。影像中的这些星际云气和尘埃，是孕育此星团的分子云之一部分。在此星云内受到恒星风和辐射侵蚀而形成的长条状结构，很明显的向远离活跃年轻恒星的方向伸展。它们的形状，让人联想起北半球观星者较熟悉的IC 410内之蝌蚪状云气，而其内可能有恒星正在诞生之中。在接下来的数千万到数亿年之间，在重力潮汐和星团短命大质量成员星死亡时发生超新星爆炸的扰动之下，星团内的气体和恒星后来会分道扬镳。

明日的图片: firefall by moonlight