* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: BYF73

Blobrana · L

Scientists have discovered a massive cloud of molecular gas and dust that is collapsing in on itself, giving birth to a collection of giant stars.
A report in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society claims the discovery could help solve one of astronomy's enduring mysteries: How do really massive stars form?
Dr Stuart Ryder of the Anglo-Australian Observatory, one of the astronomers involved in the study, says when it comes to average sized stars like our Sun, scientists have a good idea of how they form.
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Blobrana · L

CSIRO telescope spots mega-star cradle

Using a CSIRO radio telescope, an international team of researchers has caught an enormous cloud of cosmic gas and dust in the process of collapsing in on itself - a discovery which could help solve one of astronomy's enduring conundrums: 'How do massive stars form?'

Dr Peter Barnes from the University of Florida says astronomers have a good grasp of how stars such as our Sun form from clouds of gas and dust, but for heavier stars - ten times the mass of the Sun or more - they are still largely in the dark, despite years of work.
Using CSIRO's 'Mopra' radio telescope - a 22m dish near Coonabarabran, NSW - the research team discovered a massive cloud of mostly hydrogen gas and dust, three or more light-years across, that is collapsing in on itself and will probably form a huge cluster of stars.
The gas cloud, called BYF73, is about 8,000 light years away, in the constellation of Carina ("the keel") in the Southern sky.
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