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Astronomy Picture of the Day - W5: Pillars of Star Formation
NASA ^ | 23 Jun, 2025 | Image Credit: NASA, WISE, IRSA; Processing & Copyright : Francesco Antonucci

Posted on 06/23/2025 12:31:49 PM PDT by MtnClimber

Explanation: How do stars form? Images of the star forming region W5 like those in the infrared by NASA's Wide Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE, later NEOWISE) satellite provide clear clues with indications that massive stars near the center of empty cavities are older than stars near the edges. A likely reason for this is that the older stars in the center are actually triggering the formation of the younger edge stars. The triggered star formation occurs when hot outflowing gas compresses cooler gas into knots dense enough to gravitationally contract into stars. In the featured scientifically colored infrared image, spectacular pillars left slowly evaporating from the hot outflowing gas provide further visual clues. W5 is also known as Westerhout 5 (W5) and IC 1848. Together with IC 1805, the nebulas form a complex region of star formation popularly dubbed the Heart and Soul Nebulas. The featured image highlights a part of W5 spanning about 2,000 light years that is rich in star forming pillars. W5 lies about 6,500 light years away toward the constellation of Cassiopeia.


TOPICS: Astronomy; Astronomy Picture of the Day; Science
KEYWORDS: apod; nasa

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For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.

1 posted on 06/23/2025 12:31:49 PM PDT by MtnClimber
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To: MtnClimber

2 posted on 06/23/2025 12:32:16 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: 21stCenturion; 21twelve; 4everontheRight; A Navy Vet; A_perfect_lady; abb; AFB-XYZ; AFPhys; ...
Pinging the APOD list

🪐 🌟 🌌 🍔

3 posted on 06/23/2025 12:33:12 PM PDT by MtnClimber (For photos of scenery, wildlife and climbing, click on my screen name for my FR home page.)
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To: MtnClimber

Wow.


4 posted on 06/23/2025 12:44:45 PM PDT by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: MtnClimber

That is a treasure ship heavily laden with gold and rubies and some sort of ghost owl at the stern on the right.


5 posted on 06/23/2025 12:57:52 PM PDT by DannyTN
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To: DannyTN

There’s a duck in a rowboat below the owl.


6 posted on 06/23/2025 1:46:04 PM PDT by ComputerGuy
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To: MtnClimber

There is no greater artist than The Almighty. He sure does have a knack for beauty!


7 posted on 06/23/2025 3:09:37 PM PDT by telescope115 (I NEED MY SPACE!!! 🔭)
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