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Astronomy Picture of the Day

Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

2025 May 2

Young Star Cluster NGC 346
Science - , , , Olivia C. Jones (UK ATC), Guido De Marchi (ESTEC), Margaret Meixner (USRA)
Processing - Alyssa Pagan (STScI), Nolan Habel (USRA), Laura Lenki? (USRA), Laurie E. U. Chu (NASA Ames)

Explanation: The most massive young star cluster in the is NGC 346, embedded in our small satellite galaxy's largest star forming region some 210,000 light-years distant. the massive stars of NGC 346 are short lived, but very . Their winds and radiation of the region's dusty molecular cloud triggering star-formation within. The star forming region also appears to contain a large population of . A mere 3 to 5 million years old and not yet in their cores, the are strewn about the embedded star cluster. of NGC 346 is from the James Webb Space Telescope's . Emission from atomic hydrogen ionized by the massive stars' energetic radiation as well as molecular hydrogen and dust in the star-forming molecular cloud is detailed in pink and orange hues. of the young star-forming region spans 240 light-years at the distance of the Small Magellanic Cloud.

Tomorrow's picture: Titan's Shangra-La

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Authors & editors: () & ()
NASA Official: Amber Straughn .

A service of: at / ,

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