NASA is celebrating the start of the winter holidays by releasing a new image showing a space wreath. This image was obtained using several space telescopes and shows the star cluster NGC 602, located in the Milky Way’s satellite galaxy, the Small Magellanic Cloud.
The image combines data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory, which studies the X-ray range of the electromagnetic spectrum, and the James Webb Space Telescope, which works in the infrared. The red bright dots are massive young stars that emit huge amounts of energy and have been detected by Chandra. The background colors – orange, yellow, green and blue – are provided by the James Webb Telescope and indicate the presence of hot dust forming the wreath.
Scientists are interested in studying the Small Magellanic Cloud because its stars contain fewer heavy elements compared to similar stars in the Milky Way. Heavy elements are formed in the cores of stars and spread through space during supernova explosions. Therefore, galaxies with significant amounts of heavy elements are older. The Small Magellanic Cloud is similar to galaxies in the early Universe, so its study could answer questions about the evolution of galaxies over time.
In addition to the image of NGC 602, NASA also unveiled a holiday photo of the star cluster NGC 2264, known as the “Christmas tree Cluster.” The red, purple, blue and white sparks were obtained using Chandra data, while the green and purple background that forms the shape of the Christmas tree was created using optical data.
This cluster is located within our galaxy, only 2,500 light-years away – by cosmic standards, that’s quite close. It contains many stars, some much larger and some smaller than the Sun, ranging from a tenth of its mass to seven times the mass of our star.
The stars found by Chandra resemble holiday lights decorating a Christmas tree. These young stars are active and emit energy, including X-rays. Their luminescence is altered by magnetic fields and flashes, which creates a flickering effect.
Source: Universe Space Tech