Star Formation in the Circinus Molecular Cloud Complex

Wise_wise2010-039_1024

wise_WISE2010-039 November 2nd, 2010

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA

The Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, has uncovered a striking population of young stellar objects in a complex of dense, dark clouds in the southern constellation of Circinus. This mosaic from WISE covers an area on the sky so large that it could contain a grid of 11 by 7 full Moons. The cloud itself is some 2,280 light-years away and spans more than 180 light-years across.

When an interstellar cloud becomes dense and cool enough molecules can form in it, so astronomers call these molecular clouds. Molecular clouds are where stars first form, and astronomers study them hoping to learn about the earliest stages in the lives of stars. These clouds are so dense that the dust within blocks visible wavelengths of light. Telescopes that see visible light only detect ghostly dark patches in the sky, called dark nebulae. The infrared vision of WISE was able to pierce through the cloud and see the light of the dust itself and newly forming stars within.

The colors used in this image represent specific wavelengths of infrared light. Blue and cyan represent light emitted at wavelengths of 3.4 and 4.6 microns, which is predominantly from stars. Green and red represent light from 12 and 22 microns, respectively, which is mostly emitted by dust.

In the western part of the cloud (right of the image center) there is a prominent cluster of red-colored sources. This is light coming from large amounts of warm, concentrated dust. These are what astronomers call young stellar objects, stars so new that they have yet to begin nuclear fusion in their cores and are enveloped by cocoons of dust. These young stars also power large scale outflows of gas that are detected by radio telescopes. As these young stars develop, they will emerge from their cocoons and begin to light up their surroundings, making the Circinus Cloud shine in visible light.

Also in this image: the brightest star in the upper-right is IRAS 14484-6152, a giant star rich in carbon. The red object to the east (Left) of the brightest nebulosity is an O-type star. It derives its red color from the surrounding dust, which is being heated by this massive star.

Provider: Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

Image Source: http://wise.ssl.berkeley.edu/gallery_images.html

Curator: Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, Berkeley, CA, USA

Image Use Policy: Pulic Domain

Image Details

Image Type
Observation
Object Name
Circinus Molecular Cloud
Subject - Milky Way
Nebula > Type > Interstellar Medium
Nebula > Type > Star Formation
Nebula > Appearance > Dark > Molecular Cloud
Star > Evolutionary Stage > Young Stellar Object

Distance

Universescale1
2,280 light years
Wise_wise2010-039_128
 

Position Details

Position (ICRS)
RA = 15h 9m 8.6s
DEC = -62° 56’ 26.5”
Orientation
North is up
Field of View
5.5 x 3.5 degrees
Constellation
Circinus

Color Mapping

  Telescope Spectral Band Wavelength
Blue WISE (W1) Infrared (Near-IR) 3.4 µm
Cyan WISE (W2) Infrared (Near-IR) 4.6 µm
Green WISE (W3) Infrared (Mid-IR) 12.0 µm
Red WISE (W4) Infrared (Mid-IR) 22.0 µm
Spectrum_ir1
Blue
Cyan
Green
Red
Wise_wise2010-039_1280
×
ID
WISE2010-039
Subject Category
B.4.1.1.   B.4.1.2.   B.4.2.3.1.   B.3.1.2  
Subject Name
Circinus Molecular Cloud
Credits
NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA
Release Date
2010-11-02
Lightyears
2,280
Redshift
2,280
Reference Url
http://wise.ssl.berkeley.edu/gallery_images.html
Type
Observation
Image Quality
Good
Distance Notes
John Bally et al 1999 The Astronomical Journal
Facility
WISE, WISE, WISE, WISE
Instrument
W1, W2, W3, W4
Color Assignment
Blue, Cyan, Green, Red
Band
Infrared, Infrared, Infrared, Infrared
Bandpass
Near-IR, Near-IR, Mid-IR, Mid-IR
Central Wavelength
3400, 4600, 12000, 22000
Start Time
Integration Time
Dataset ID
Notes
Coordinate Frame
ICRS
Equinox
Reference Value
227.285958, -62.940694
Reference Dimension
7333, 4666
Reference Pixel
3667, 2333.5
Scale
-0.0007500000065193, 0.0007500000065193
Rotation
0
Coordinate System Projection:
SIN
Quality
Full
FITS Header
Notes
Creator (Curator)
Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer
URL
http://wise.astro.ucla.edu
Name
Email
outreach@ssl.berkeley.edu
Telephone
Address
7 Gauss Way
City
Berkeley
State/Province
CA
Postal Code
94720
Country
USA
Rights
Pulic Domain
Publisher
Publisher ID
wise
Resource ID
Resource URL
/image/wise/WISE2010-039
Related Resources
Metadata Date
2018-01-11T02:47:20Z
Metadata Version
1.2
×

 

Detailed color mapping information coming soon...

×
Universescalefull
2,280 light years

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