eso_eso9931b June 22nd, 1999
Credit: ESO
This image of the spectacular N44 H II region in the LMC displays (very nearly) its central region, which is dominated by a large, ring-shaped nebula that includes a bright stellar association of very luminous stars. It emits X-rays - this is interpreted as a sign that several heavy stars in this area have exploded as supernova during the last few million years. N44 is a very bright, rich and well-studied complex in the LMC, somewhat apart from the other nebulae in this galaxy. The general appearance (in astronomical terminology: the "morphology") is well explained by a combination of fast outflow from stars (stellar winds) and supernova remnants, as well as sequential star formation.
Provider: European Southern Observatory
Image Source: https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso9931b/
Curator: European Southern Observatory, Garching bei München, Germany
Image Use Policy: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
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