Seeing Stars in Serpens
Sig06 026

Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/L. Cieza (University of Texas at Austin)

Observation • October 24th, 2006 • sig06-026

sig06-026

Infant stars are glowing gloriously in this infrared image of the Serpens star-forming region, captured by NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

The reddish-pink dots are baby stars deeply embedded in the cosmic cloud of gas and dust that collapsed to create it. A dusty disk of cosmic debris, or "protoplanetary disk," that may eventually form planets, surrounds the infant stars.

Wisps of green throughout the image indicate the presence of carbon rich molecules called, Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs). On Earth, PAHs can be found on charred barbecue grills and in automobile exhaust. Blue specks sprinkled throughout the image are background stars in our Milky Way Galaxy.

The Serpens star-forming region is located approximately 848 light-years away in the Serpens constellation.

The image is a three-channel false-color composite, where emission at 4.5 microns is blue, emission at 8.0 microns is green, and 24 micron emission is red.

About the Object

Name
Serpens Cluster A
Type
Star > Grouping > Cluster
Nebula > Type > Supernova Remnant
Distance
848 Light Years

Color Mapping

Band Wavelength Telescope
Infrared 4.5 µm Spitzer IRAC
Infrared 8.0 µm Spitzer IRAC
Infrared 24.0 µm Spitzer MIPS

Astrometrics

Position (J2000)
RA =18h 29m 49.5s
Dec = 1° 10' 21.4"
Field of View
33.3 x 23.8 arcminutes
Orientation
North is 95.6° left of vertical