Photo of DR21 in the Constellation of Cygnus #18766


#18766 Photo of DR21 in the Constellation of Cygnus by JVPD
Royalty-free astronomy stock photo of a bright source of radio emission called DR21 hidden behind a shroud of dust in the constellation Cygnus. Visible light images reveal no trace of what is happening in this region because of heavy dust obscuration. In fact, visible light is attenuated in DR21 by a factor of more than 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000 (ten thousand trillion heptillion).

New images from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope allow us to peek behind the cosmic veil and pinpoint one of the most massive natal stars yet seen in our Milky Way galaxy. The never-before-seen star is 100,000 times as bright as the Sun. Also revealed for the first time is a powerful outflow of hot gas emanating from this star and bursting through a giant molecular cloud.

This image shows a 24-micron image mosaic, obtained with the Multiband Imaging Photometer aboard Spitzer (MIPS). This image maps the cooler infrared emission from interstellar dust found throughout the interstellar medium. The DR21 complex is clearly seen near the center of the strip, which covers about twice the area of the IRAC image.

Perhaps the most fascinating feature in this image is a long and shadowy linear filament extending towards the 10 o’clock position of DR21. This jet of cold and dense gas, nearly 50 light-years in extent, appears in silhouette against a warmer background. This filament is too long and massive to be a stellar jet and may have formed from a pre-existing molecular cloud core sculpted by DR21’s strong winds. Regardless of its true nature, this jet and the numerous other arcs and wisps of cool dust signify the interstellar turbulence normally unseen by the human eye.

Photo Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech [0003-0710-2308-3451] by 0003

Similar Images:

#14676 Picture of Solar System With the Planets Labeled by JVPD
#14675 Picture of Labeled Planets of the Solar System by JVPD
#18755 Photo of Planets of Sedna, Earth, Quaoar, Pluto, Moon by JVPD
#14674 Picture of Planets of the Solar System by JVPD
#27003 Stock Photography of a Yellow Dwarf Planet, Hd 189733, Orbiting The Feiry Gas Giant Planet, Known As Hd 189733 B, In The Constellation Vulpecula by JVPD
#18764 Photo of a Solar System With Two Suns by JVPD
#1335 Stock Photo of the Solar System Planets Against the Blackness of Space by JVPD
#1380 Photo of Rilles on the Surface of the Moon Rille Runs Through It by JVPD
#27006 Stock Photography of The Spiral Galaxy M106 (ngc 4258) by JVPD
#1422 Stock Photo of the Planets of the Solar System With Craters of the Moon by JVPD
#1345 Photo of Spirals of the Milky Way Galaxy by JVPD
#1407 Photo of The Planet Earth Against the Black Background of Space by JVPD
#18759 Photo of a Red Ringed Planet Being Born Out of Dust by JVPD
#1329 Stock Photo of Planet Neptune by JVPD
#27004 Stock Photography of A Dark Cloud Resembling A Snake In Space by JVPD
More Astronomy Photos

Keywords

astronomy, cygnus, dr21, feiry, in space, nasa, national aeronautics and space administration, outer space, radio emission, red, space, universe