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Astronomy Picture of the Day 1-27-03
NASA ^
| 1-27-03
| Robert Nemiroff and Jerry Bonnell
Posted on 01/27/2003 3:47:58 AM PST by petuniasevan
Astronomy Picture of the Day
Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.
2003 January 27
BHR 71: Stars, Clouds, and Jets
Credit & Copyright: J. Alves (ESO), E. Tolstoy (Groningen), R. Fosbury (ST-ECF), & R. Hook (ST-ECF), VLT
Explanation: What is happening to molecular cloud BHR 71? Quite possible, a binary star system is forming inside. Most stars in our Galaxy are part of binary star systems, but few have ever been seen in formation. Recent observations of dust-darkened Bok Globule BHR 71, however, show evidence for two young stars forming deep in the cloud, likely close enough to form a binary. Isolated BHR 71 spans about one light year and lies only about 600 light years away in the southern sky. The brighter embedded star -- not visible here -- is about 10 times as bright as the Sun and drives the jet that swept out the empty lane. The above four-color image was taken with a Very Large Telescope in Chile.
TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: astronomy; binary; bok; dust; formation; gas; globule; image; molecular; photography; star; stars
Good morning! Do not attempt to adjust your monitor - that's a Bok Globule, not a burnt-out spot! ;-)
To: MozartLover; Joan912; NovemberCharlie; snowfox; Dawgsquat; viligantcitizen; theDentist; ...
To: petuniasevan
BTTT
3
posted on
01/27/2003 4:55:01 AM PST
by
GodBlessRonaldReagan
(where is Scotty Moore when we need him most?)
To: petuniasevan
very cool!
4
posted on
01/27/2003 6:48:51 AM PST
by
Joan912
(i hate the colorado avalanche)
To: petuniasevan
A molecular cloud. Mostly hydrogen--H2. Right?
To: petuniasevan
So neat!
To: petuniasevan
Nice one.
Thanks for the ping.
7
posted on
01/27/2003 5:38:57 PM PST
by
sistergoldenhair
(Don't be a sheep. People hate sheep. They eat sheep.)
To: RightWhale
Right!
What are Giant Molecular Clouds composed of?
-
The interstellar medium is roughly 99% gas, 1% dust by mass
-
Of the gas, roughly 90% is hydrogen (H2 and H), and 10% is helium, with some CNO-based gases (i.e. hydrocarbons)
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Ice grains composed of CN0-based molecules (mainly water, ammonia, CO, etc.)
-
Dirty sub-micron-sized grains of magnesium and iron silicates
8
posted on
01/28/2003 12:35:27 AM PST
by
petuniasevan
(ASU web page information...)
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