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Part of the nebula region IC 2944 with
Thackeray-Globules |
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Description of
object:
This image shows a
section of the nebula region IC 2944 around lambda Centauri which lies outside
the field of view. The about 5900 light years distant nebula is being ionized
by a group of hot O-stars (IC 2948) which are visible in the picture. IC 2948
is one of the biggest associations of hot O- and B-stars in the southern sky
and is also known as the Centaurus OB2-Association. The immensely high
ultraviolet O-stars radiation heats up the surrounding gases and forces it
outwards. Some of the more dense nebula areas are not yet 'eroded' and can be
observed as small globules in the upper half of the picture.
In IC 2944
those objects have been named after their discoverer A. D. Thackery. Otherwise
such globules are also called Bok globules and are being associated with the
creation of stars. However it is assumed that the globules in IC 2944 won't
have enough time left to facilitate the birth of new stars. Beforehand the
Thackery globules will most probably be eroded because of the high radiation
pressure of the surrounding stars. For the higher resolutions the visible field
of view equates to about the size of the area of the half
moon. |
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