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Credit & Copyright: Francis Bozon & Cecil Navick
(AstroA. R. O.)
Explanation:
This cosmic skyscape
features glowing gas and dark dust clouds alongside the young stars of
NGC 3572.
A beautiful emission nebula and star cluster, it sails
far
southern skies within the
nautical constellation Carina.
Stars from NGC 3572 are toward top center
in the telescopic frame that would measure about 100
light-years
across at the cluster's estimated distance of 9,000 light-years.
The visible interstellar gas and dust, shown in
colors
of the
Hubble palette,
is part of the star cluster's natal
molecular cloud,
itself cataloged as
Gum 37.
Dense streamers of material within the nebula, eroded by stellar winds and radiation,
clearly trail away from the energetic young stars.
They are likely sites of ongoing star formation with shapes reminiscent of the
Tadpoles of IC 410 -- better known to northern skygazers.
In the coming tens to hundreds of millions of years, gas and stars in the cluster
will be dispersed though, by
gravitational tides and by violent
supernova explosions that end the short lives of the massive cluster stars.
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NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings, and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
A service of: LHEA at NASA / GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
Based on Astronomy Picture
Of the Day
Publications with keywords: open cluster - star formation
Publications with words: open cluster - star formation
See also:
- APOD: 2025 December 28 Á NGC 1898: Globular Cluster in the Large Magellanic Cloud
- NGC 253: Dusty Island Universe
- APOD: 2025 October 21 Á IC 1805: The Heart Nebula
- Young Suns of NGC 7129
- APOD: 2025 December 9 Á The Heart of the Soul Nebula
- APOD: 2025 August 7 Á The Double Cluster in Perseus
- APOD: 2025 July 10 Á Lynds Dark Nebula 1251