Star cluster forming from collision of molecular clouds surrounded by green atomic envelopes
Cloud Collision
Date

Artist’s impression of a star cluster forming from the collision of turbulent molecular clouds, which appear as dark shadows in front of the background galactic star field. The molecular clouds are surrounded by atomic envelopes, here illustrated in green, which have been detected via emission from ionized carbon by SOFIA. The spatial offset and motions of these envelopes confirm predictions of simulations of cloud collisions.

Credit
NASA/SOFIA/Lynette Cook
Image Number
SCI2018_0011

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