Giant diffuse nebula and star forming region NGC 604 in M33
Right Ascension | 1 : 34.5 (h:m) |
---|---|
Declination | +30 : 48 (deg:m) |
Distance | 3000 (kly) |
Apparent Dimension | 1 (arc min) |
This is a Hubble Space Telescope image (right) of a vast nebula
NGC 604 in the Triangulum galaxy M33.
This is a site where new stars are being born in a spiral arm
of the galaxy. Though such nebulae are common in galaxies,
this one is particularly large, nearly 1,500 light-years across.
The nebula is so vast it is easily seen in ground-based
telescopic images (left).
At the heart of NGC 604 are over 200 hot stars, much more
massive than our Sun (15 to 60 solar masses). They heat the
gaseous walls of the nebula making the gas flouresce. Their
light also highlights the nebula’s three-dimensional shape,
like a lantern in a cavern. By studying the physical structure
of a giant nebula, astronomers may determine how clusters of
massive stars affect the evolution of the interstellar medium
of the galaxy. The nebula also yields clues to its star
formation history and will improve understanding of the
starburst process when a galaxy undergoes a “firestorm” of
star formation.
The image was taken on January 17, 1995 with Hubble’s Wide Field
and Planetary Camera 2. Separate exposures were taken in
different colors of light to study the physical properties of
the hot gas (17,000 degrees Fahrenheit, 10,000 degrees Kelvin).
Credits: Hui Yang (University of Illinois),
Jeff J. Hester (Arizona State University), and NASA.
This image is also available as
~810k color and
~740k b/w hi-res jpeg
Last Modification: 18 Apr 1998, 20:35 MET