All articles tagged with #molecular cloud
The James Webb Space Telescope captured a detailed image of the Sagittarius B2 molecular cloud, a highly efficient star-forming region about 26,000 light-years away, revealing complex chemical areas and offering clues to its extraordinary star production despite limited gas resources.
Astronomers discovered a massive molecular cloud in the Milky Way, weighing as much as 160,000 suns and located 23,000 light-years away, which could provide new insights into star formation and galaxy evolution.
Astronomers have discovered a massive, previously unknown molecular cloud in the Milky Way, called the Midpoint cloud, which is fueling star formation and providing insights into the galaxy's gas dynamics and evolution.
Researchers have finally provided insights into the paradoxical dark cloud called "The Brick" at the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way, which has shown little star formation despite its ideal conditions. New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) revealed that the cloud contains a significant amount of ice, a peculiar discovery. However, the presence of ice does not explain the lack of star formation. The gas at the center of The Brick is warmer than expected, which may be a crucial factor. Further observations are planned to understand the chemistry and dynamics of the cloud.
Astronomers have investigated a mysterious ultra-high energy gamma-ray source called LHAASO J2108+5157, located about 10,700 light years away. The nature of these ultra-high energy sources is not well understood, so researchers used the VERITAS and HAWC observatories to study the emitted gamma-rays. The observations found no significant emission close to the source, suggesting a leptonic origin of the emission. However, the discovery of a new molecular cloud in the vicinity of LHAASO J2108+5157 indicates that the gamma rays may be produced through the hadronic channel with the molecular cloud as the main target for cosmic ray particles. Further observations and analysis are needed to fully understand the nature of this ultra-high energy source.
Scientists have discovered evidence of carbonic acid (HOCOOH) in interstellar space for the first time. This finding adds to the growing list of carboxylic acids found in distant locations, supporting the theory that these compounds may have been delivered to Earth via comets or meteorites. The presence of carbonic acid in an interstellar molecular cloud suggests a high degree of complexity in the interstellar medium and raises the possibility of other amino-acid-related compounds. The discovery also hints at the potential abundance of carbonic acid in interstellar space, despite its previous undetectability by radio astronomical observations.