Spitzer IRAC view of Star Formation in the DR21 Region

Spitzer_ssc2004-06a1_1024

spitzer_ssc2004-06a1 April 13th, 2004

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/A. Marston (ESTEC/ESA)

Hidden behind a shroud of dust in the constellation Cygnus is an exceptionally bright source of radio emission called DR21. Visible light images reveal no trace of what is happening in this region because of heavy dust obscuration. In fact, visible light is attenuated in DR21 by a factor of more than 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000 (ten thousand trillion heptillion).

This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope allow us to peek behind the cosmic veil and pinpoint one of the most massive natal stars yet seen in our Milky Way galaxy. The never-before-seen star is 100,000 times as bright as the Sun. Also revealed for the first time is a powerful outflow of hot gas emanating from this star and bursting through a giant molecular cloud.

This image is a large-scale mosaic assembled from individual photographs obtained with the InfraRed Array Camera (IRAC) aboard Spitzer. The image covers an area about two times that of a full moon. The mosaic is a composite of images obtained at mid-infrared wavelengths of 3.6 microns (blue), 4.5 microns (green), 5.8 microns (orange) and 8 microns (red). The brightest infrared cloud near the top center corresponds to DR21, which presumably contains a cluster of newly forming stars at a distance of 10,000 light-years.

Protruding out from DR21 toward the bottom left of the image is a gaseous outflow (green), containing both carbon monoxide and molecular hydrogen. Data from the Spitzer spectrograph, which breaks light into its constituent individual wavelengths, indicate the presence of hot steam formed as the outflow heats the surrounding molecular gas. Outflows are physical signatures of processes that create supersonic beams, or jets, of gas. They are usually accompanied by discs of material around the new star, which likely contain the materials from which future planetary systems are formed. Additional newborn stars, depicted in green, can be seen surrounding the DR21 region.

The red filaments stretching across this image denote the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. These organic molecules, comprised of carbon and hydrogen, are excited by surrounding interstellar radiation and become luminescent at wavelengths near 8.0 microns. The complex pattern of filaments is caused by an intricate combination of radiation pressure, gravity and magnetic fields. The result is a tapestry in which winds, outflows and turbulence move and shape the interstellar medium.

To the lower left of the mosaic is a large bubble of gas and dust, which may represent the remnants of a past generation of stars.

Provider: Spitzer Space Telescope

Image Source: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/images/1148-ssc2004-06a1-Spitzer-IRAC-view-of-Star-Formation-in-the-DR21-Region

Curator: Spitzer Space Telescope, Pasadena, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
DR21
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Star Formation
Nebula > Appearance > Dark
Nebula > Type > Jet

Distance

Universescale1
6,200 light years
Spitzer_ssc2004-06a1_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 20h 38m 22.2s
DEC = 42° 4’ 7.9”
Orientation
North is 101.0° CW
Field of View
1.0 x 0.5 degrees
Constellation
Cygnus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.6 µm
Green Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.5 µm
Orange Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 5.8 µm
Red Spitzer (IRAC) Infrared (Mid-IR) 8.0 µm
Pseudocolor Spitzer (MIPS) Infrared (Mid-IR) 24.0 µm
Image is collage of multiple observations; color mappings are summary of all subimages
Spectrum_ir1
Blue
Green
Orange
Red
Pseudocolor
Spitzer_ssc2004-06a1_1280
×
ID
ssc2004-06a1
Subject Category
B.4.1.2.   B.4.2.3.   B.4.1.5.  
Subject Name
DR21
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/A. Marston (ESTEC/ESA)
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
Distance taken from Fast Facts.
Facility
Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer, Spitzer
Instrument
IRAC, IRAC, IRAC, IRAC, MIPS
Color Assignment
Blue, Green, Orange, Red, Pseudocolor
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR, Mid-IR, Mid-IR, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
3600, 4500, 5800, 8000, 24000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
I
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
Reference Value
309.59234776, 42.0688521218
Reference Dimension
3652, 1936
Reference Pixel
808.131408691, 1104.333030701
Scale
-0.00027956943679791, 0.00027956943679791
Rotation
-101.01111033411
Coordinate System Projection:
TAN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Spitzer Space Telescope
URL
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu
Name
Spitzer Space Telescope
Email
Telephone
Address
1200 E. California Blvd.
City
Pasadena
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
91125
Country
USA
Rights
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/info/18-Image-Use-Policy
Publisher
Spitzer Science Center
Publisher ID
spitzer
Resource ID
ssc2004-06a1.tif
Metadata Date
2012-10-11
Metadata Version
1.1
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
6,200 light years

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