Posted on Feb 17, 2022
APOD: 2022 February 17 - Chamaeleon I Molecular Cloud
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Good morning, Rallypoint, and welcome to the February 17th Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD): "Chamaeleon 1 Molecular Cloud." Let's embark on a bit of time travel.
Basic facts: the Chamaeleon 1 Molecular Cloud (Cha1) lies only 650 light years from Earth in the southern constellation Chamaeleon. Molecular clouds are often called star-forming regions (SFR), and Cha1 doesn't disappoint. Do you see the 'C' shape above center just to the left? That is Cederblad (Ced) 110, a reflection nebula and home to new young stars. The larger, bluish Ced 111 lies below it. The orange-tinted 'V' shape of the Chamaeleon Infrared Nebula (Cha IRN) lies beneath Ced 111.
Cha1 gives us a glimpse at the early days of our own Solar System (hence the earlier reference to time travel). I paraphrase Evan Gough in his February 2nd article in Sky and Telescope: "Each time we look at young stars forming in a cloud complex like Cha 1, it’s a glimpse back in time to our own beginnings. Because, somewhere in the disk of gas and dust swirling around our once young Sun, embedded in all that raucous mayhem, a rocky planet began to take shape." Cheers.
Basic facts: the Chamaeleon 1 Molecular Cloud (Cha1) lies only 650 light years from Earth in the southern constellation Chamaeleon. Molecular clouds are often called star-forming regions (SFR), and Cha1 doesn't disappoint. Do you see the 'C' shape above center just to the left? That is Cederblad (Ced) 110, a reflection nebula and home to new young stars. The larger, bluish Ced 111 lies below it. The orange-tinted 'V' shape of the Chamaeleon Infrared Nebula (Cha IRN) lies beneath Ced 111.
Cha1 gives us a glimpse at the early days of our own Solar System (hence the earlier reference to time travel). I paraphrase Evan Gough in his February 2nd article in Sky and Telescope: "Each time we look at young stars forming in a cloud complex like Cha 1, it’s a glimpse back in time to our own beginnings. Because, somewhere in the disk of gas and dust swirling around our once young Sun, embedded in all that raucous mayhem, a rocky planet began to take shape." Cheers.
APOD: 2022 February 17 - Chamaeleon I Molecular Cloud
Posted from apod.nasa.gov
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Thank you my space-exploration advocate friend Maj William W. 'Bill' Price for posting the February 17th Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD): ‘Chamaeleon 1 Molecular Cloud.’
Image: Chamaeleon 1 Molecular Cloud
Explanation: Dark markings and bright nebulae in this telescopic southern sky view are telltale signs of young stars and active star formation. They lie a mere 650 light-years away, at the boundary of the local bubble and the Chamaeleon molecular cloud complex. Regions with young stars identified as dusty reflection nebulae from the 1946 Cederblad catalog include the C-shaped Ced 110 just above and left of center, and bluish Ced 111 below it. Also a standout in the frame, the orange tinted V-shape of the Chamaeleon Infrared Nebula (Cha IRN) was carved by material streaming from a newly formed low-mass star. The well-composed image spans 1.5 degrees. That's about 17 light-years at the estimated distance of the nearby Chamaeleon I molecular cloud.
Image: Chamaeleon 1 Molecular Cloud
Explanation: Dark markings and bright nebulae in this telescopic southern sky view are telltale signs of young stars and active star formation. They lie a mere 650 light-years away, at the boundary of the local bubble and the Chamaeleon molecular cloud complex. Regions with young stars identified as dusty reflection nebulae from the 1946 Cederblad catalog include the C-shaped Ced 110 just above and left of center, and bluish Ced 111 below it. Also a standout in the frame, the orange tinted V-shape of the Chamaeleon Infrared Nebula (Cha IRN) was carved by material streaming from a newly formed low-mass star. The well-composed image spans 1.5 degrees. That's about 17 light-years at the estimated distance of the nearby Chamaeleon I molecular cloud.
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