ANATOMY OF A COSMIC SWAN

The Omega Nebula, also called the Swan Nebula, is a massive star-forming region about 5,000 light-years away. Hidden within its opaque, dusty clouds are more than 100 newly formed stars as well as clues to the region's past, including how the nebula itself formed over time. Using Infrared Astronomy, astronomers have peered deeper into the region than ever before to discover nine new massive protostars-- collapsing sections of gas and dust that will soon ignite into suns. Using Infrared light observations show that different areas of the nebula have different ages. Rather than forming all at once or sequentially from top to bottom, the central region of the nebula formed first, followed by the northern portion, while the southern part of the nebula is the youngest. By studying the nebula and how it is put together, astronomers hope to learn more about the conditions in which the galaxy's most massive stars are born.