Sig07-006.jpg
![File:Sig07-006.jpg](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c2/Sig07-006.jpg/800px-Sig07-006.jpg)
Summary
This image from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope shows infant stars "hatching" in the head of the hunter constellation, Orion. Astronomers suspect that shockwaves from a supernova explosion in Orion's head, nearly three million years ago, may have initiated this newfound birth.
The region featured in this Spitzer image is called Barnard 30. It is located approximately 1,300 light-years away and sits on the right side of Orion's head, just north of the massive star Lambda Orionis.
Wisps of red in the cloud are organic molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are formed anytime carbon-based materials are burned incompletely. On Earth, they can be found in the sooty exhaust from automobile and airplane engines. They also coat the grills where charcoal-broiled meats are cooked.
This image shows infrared light captured by Spitzer's infrared array camera. Light with wavelengths of 8 and 5.8 microns (red and orange) comes mainly from dust that has been heated by starlight. Light of 4.5 microns (green) shows hot gas and dust; and light of 3.6 microns (blue) is from starlight.
File info
Description Sig07-006.jpg | Young Stars Emerge from Orion's Head |
Date | |
Source | http://gallery.spitzer.caltech.edu/Imagegallery/image.php?image_name=sig07-006 |
Author | ASA/JPL-Caltech/D. Barrado y Navascués (LAEFF-INTA) |
Permission
( Reusing this file ) |
http://www.spitzer.caltech.edu/Media/mediaimages/copyright.shtml |
Individual images
see http://gallery.spitzer.caltech.edu/Imagegallery/image.php?image_name=sig07-006 High quality tif files also avaliable.
Licensing
Public domain Public domain false false |
![]() |
This file is in the public domain in the United States because it was solely created by NASA . NASA copyright policy states that "NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted ". (See Template:PD-USGov , NASA copyright policy page or JPL Image Use Policy .) |
![]() |
![]() |
Warnings:
|