Thursday, 19 December 2024

Chandra and Webb Spy a Cosmic Wreath

A star cluster is shown inside a large multicolored nebula that looks like a Christmas wreath. The material forms dark ridges and peaks of gas and dust surrounding the cluster. The inner edge is lit. Numerous galaxies are scattered around and within the "wreath." A few large and bright stars are visible as well.
ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, P. Zeidler

This new image of star cluster NGC 602, released on Dec. 17, 2024, combines data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory with a previously released image from the agency’s James Webb Space Telescope. Webb data provide the ring-like outline of the “wreath,” while X-rays from Chandra (red) show young, massive stars that are illuminating the wreath, sending high-energy light into interstellar space.

NGC 602 lies on the outskirts of the Small Magellanic Cloud, which is one of the closest galaxies to the Milky Way, about 200,000 light-years from Earth. 

See another new, festive image: the “Christmas tree cluster.”

Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC; Infrared: ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, P. Zeilder, E.Sabbi, A. Nota, M. Zamani; Image Processing: NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare and K. Arcand



from NASA https://ift.tt/tz7wlyZ

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