This stunning image from the Hubble Space Telescope shows a region called G35.2-0.7N, which is a well-known hotbed of high-mass star formation. Stars formed here are so massive that they end their lives as destructive supernovae. Even as they form, though, they can have a huge impact on their surroundings. At least one B-type star (the second most massive type) lurks in the area pictured, and its powerful protostellar jets directed at us are the source of the spectacular light and shadow show.
The Hubble Space Telescope captured this spectacular image of G35.2-0.7N, a region known for high-quality star formation. The region, located about 7,200 light-years away in the constellation Aquila, contains at least one B-type star. The star emits a powerful protostellar jet, and its radiation display can be observed in the image. Image credit: ESA/Hubble and NASA, R. Fedriani, J. Tan
This image, taken with the Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3) mounted on the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, captures the G35.2-0.7N region in the constellation Aquila, about 7,200 light-years from Earth.
This beautiful image was assembled using data collected primarily for specific research purposes, like many of the Hubble Pictures of the Week. Studies using these data include measuring the degree of ionization in jets ejected by protostars buried within G35.2-0.7N. Ionization is the process by which atoms or molecules become charged, usually because they have lost some of their electrons (the tiny, negatively charged particles that surround the nuclei of atoms and molecules) when they are in a high-energy environment.
Protostellar jets are huge, collimated beams of material ejected from protostars. Collimated means that the material is ejected in a parallel (cylindrical) stream, which in turn means that the jet is not too spread out but extends far out in a relatively straight line.
The visual effect of the ejected material is the dazzling scene seen in this image. Much of the nebula is dark, with light blocked from Hubble's view by the rich dust clouds that gave rise to these massive stars.
The position of the star and the material it ejects can be seen near the center. The small, bright orange streak there is a cavity in the dust, formed in the dust as the jets shot towards us. After breaking through the dust cocoon, the jet revealed light from the protostar, but due to too much dust, the light was "dyed red" into a fiery orange. The massive protostar lies to the lower left of this cavity.