ALMA observes the birth of a monster star

Observations of the dark cloud SDC 335.579-0.292 using the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter array (ALMA) have given astronomers the best view yet of a monster star in the process of forming. A stellar womb with over 500 times the mass than the Sun has been found and appears as the yellow blob near the centre of this picture. This is the largest ever seen in the Milky Way — and it is still growing. The embryonic star within is hungrily feeding on the material that is racing inwards. It is expected to give birth to a very brilliant star with up to 100 times the mass of the Sun.

This image combines data from ALMA and NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope.

Crediti:

ALMA (ESO/NRAJ/NRAO)/NASA/Spitzer/JPL-Caltech/GLIMPSE

Riguardo l'immagine

Identificazione:eso1331a
Tipo:Osservazione
Data di rilascio:Mercoledì 10 Luglio 2013 12:00
Notizie relative:eso1331
Grandezza:1225 x 874 px

Riguardo all'oggetto

Nome:SDC 335.579-0.292
Tipo:Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Star Formation
Distanza:11000 Anni luce
Constellation:Norma
Categoria:Nebulae
Stars

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Coordinate

Position (RA):16 31 1.43
Position (Dec):-48° 42' 32.98"
Field of view:6.14 x 4.38 arcminutes
Orientazione:Il Nord è a 21.9° a destra della verticale

Colori e filtri

BandaLunghezza d'ondaTelescopio
Infrarosso
Channel 1
3.6 μm Spitzer Space Telescope
IRAC (Spitzer)
Infrarosso
Channel 2
4.5 μm Spitzer Space Telescope
IRAC (Spitzer)
Infrarosso
Channel 4
8.0 μm Spitzer Space Telescope
IRAC (Spitzer)
Millimetro
Band 3
3.2 mmAtacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array