Cometary Globules of Interstellar Gas & Dust in Puppis & Vela

Cometary Globules of Interstellar Gas & Dust in Puppis & Vela

What are these unusual interstellar structures? Bright-rimmed, flowing shapes gather near the center of this rich starfield toward the borders of the nautical southern constellations Puppis and Vela. Composed of interstellar gas and dust. This grouping of light-year sized cometary globules is about 1,300 light-years distant. 

Energetic ultraviolet light from nearby hot stars has molded the globules and ionized their bright rims. The globules also stream away from the Vela supernova remnant. This may have influenced their swept-back shapes. Within them, cores of cold gas and dust are likely collapsing to form low mass stars. Their formation will ultimately cause the globules to disperse. In fact, cometary globule CG 30 (on the upper left) sports a small reddish glow near its head, a telltale sign of energetic jets from a star in the early stages of formation.

Image Credit & Copyright: Mark Hanson & Martin Pugh, Observatorio El Sauce

Martin Pugh's website: 

https://www.martinpughastrophotography.space/about

Mark Hanson's website: 

https://www.hansonastronomy.com/bio

Release Date: July 16, 2024

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