This page describes an image Herschel’s view of new stars and molecular clouds
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Image caption:
This image shows the Westerhout 3, 4 and 5 star formation regions. This area has huge amounts of gas and dust. This gas and dust hides the physical processes going on in this region from studies using visible light. This image was taken in infrared light by the Herschel Space Observatory. This infrared light allowed Herschel to see deep into these star forming regions.
In Westerhout 3, 4 and 5, huge, cold clouds of molecular hydrogen have collapsed into dense knots and filaments. Within these new structures the gas is dense and cold enough for it to collapse and form stars. These new stars give off powerful winds of charged particles, like stronger versions of the solar wind our sun gives off. These winds have combined to blow massive bubbles in the surrounding gas and dust. These are visible as the large darker voids in the image.
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Image credit: ESA/Herschel/NASA/JPL-Caltech; acknowledgement: R. Hurt (JPL-Caltech) Credit Link
Related glossary terms:
Infrared Astronomy
, Interstellar Medium
, Molecular Cloud
, Star Formation
, Stellar Wind
Categories:
Milky Way and Interstellar Medium
, Stars
Image license: Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 IGO icons
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Captions in Different Languages:
Image caption: Dieses Bild zeigt die Sternentstehungsgebiete Westerhout 3, 4 und 5. In diesem Gebiet gibt es große Mengen an Gas und Staub. Dieses Gas und der Staub verbergen die physikalischen Prozesse die in der Region ablaufen vor Untersuchungen mit sichtbarem Licht. Dieses Bild wurde vom Herschel Space Observatory im Infrarotlicht aufgenommen. Dank Infrarotlicht konnte Herschel tief in diese Sternentstehungsgebiete hineinsehen.
In Westerhout 3, 4 und 5 sind riesige, kalte Wolken aus molekularem Wasserstoff zu dichten Knoten und Filamenten kollabiert. Innerhalb dieser neuen Strukturen ist das Gas so dicht und kalt, dass es in sich zusammenfallen und Sterne bilden kann. Diese neuen Sterne stoßen starke Winde aus geladenen Teilchen aus, die dem Sonnenwind unserer Sonne ähneln. Diese Winde haben sich zu gewaltigen Blasen in dem umgebenden Gas und Staub zusammengefügt. Sie sind als große, dunkle Hohlräume auf dem Bild zu sehen.
Image credit: ESA/Herschel/NASA/JPL-Caltech; Danksagung: R. Hurt (JPL-Caltech)
Related glossary terms: Infrarotastronomie , Interstellares Medium , Molekülwolke , Sternentstehung , Sternwind Caption translation status: Not yet approved by a reviewer
Caption translators: Emma Krojanski
Image caption: Questa immagine mostra le regioni di formazione stellare di Westerhout 3, 4 e 5. Quest'area presenta enormi quantità di gas e polvere. Questi gas e polveri nascondono i processi fisici in atto in questa regione agli studi che utilizzano la luce visibile. Questa immagine è stata scattata nella luce infrarossa dall'Osservatorio spaziale Herschel. La luce infrarossa ha permesso a Herschel di vedere in profondità queste regioni di formazione stellare.
In Westerhout 3, 4 e 5, enormi nubi fredde di idrogeno molecolare sono collassate in densi nodi e filamenti. All'interno di queste nuove strutture il gas è abbastanza denso e freddo da poter collassare e formare stelle. Queste nuove stelle emettono potenti venti di particelle cariche, come versioni più forti del vento solare che emette il nostro Sole. Questi venti si sono combinati per far esplodere enormi bolle nel gas e nella polvere circostanti. Queste sono visibili come grandi vuoti scuri nell'immagine.
Image credit: ESA/Herschel/NASA/JPL-Caltech; ringraziamenti: R. Hurt (JPL-Caltech)
Related glossary terms: Astronomia all'infrarosso , Formazione delle stelle , Mezzo interstellare , Nube molecolare , Vento stellare Caption translation status: Not yet approved by a reviewer
Caption translators: Giuliana Giobbi
