The Tarantula Glows with X-rays and Infrared Light

The star-forming region, 30 Doradus, is one of the largest located close to the

The star-forming region, 30 Doradus, is one of the largest located close to the Milky Way and is found in the neighboring galaxy Large Magellanic Cloud. About 2,400 massive stars in the center of 30 Doradus, also known as the Tarantula Nebula, are producing intense radiation and powerful winds as they blow off material. Image credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/PSU/L. Townsley et al.; Infrared: NASA/JPL/PSU/L. Townsley et al.

This spiderweb-like tangle of gas and dust is a star-forming region called 30 Doradus. It is one of the largest such regions located close to the Milky Way galaxy, and is found in the neighboring galaxy Large Magellanic Cloud. About 2,400 massive stars in the center of 30 Doradus, also known as the Tarantula nebula, are producing intense radiation and powerful winds as they blow off material.

Multimillion-degree gas detected in X-rays (blue) by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory comes from shock fronts -- similar to sonic booms -- formed by these stellar winds and by supernova explosions. This hot gas carves out gigantic bubbles in the surrounding cooler gas and dust shown here in infrared light from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope (orange).

Related Stories
Physics / Astronomy
Research team's work may lead to breakthrough in microchip technology - 24.05Research team's work may lead to breakthrough in microchip technology
Nanoparticles Seen as Artificial Atoms - 24.05Nanoparticles Seen as Artificial Atoms
First Direct Observation of Oriented Attachment in Nanocrystal GrowthFirst Direct Observation of Oriented Attachment in Nanocrystal Growth - 24.05
Exotic particles, chilled and trapped, form giant matter wave - 24.05
Folding light: Wrinkles and twists boost power from solar panels - 24.05Folding light: Wrinkles and twists boost power from solar panels
Lying in Wait for WIMPs - 23.05Lying in Wait for WIMPs
An image, with , is online at: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/chandra/multimedia/tarantula_nebula.html.

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., manages the Spitzer Space Telescope mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Science operations are conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. Caltech manages JPL for NASA. about Spitzer, visit http://spitzer.caltech.edu/ and http://www.nasa.gov/spitzer.