Dense knot of ultra-hot stars nestled in Hubble-V nebula

The glowing cloud shown in this NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope image is a magnificent nebula in a neighbouring galaxy. Called Hubble-V, the giant cloud is about 200 light-years across and contains a dense knot of dozens of ultra-hot stars, each glowing 100,000 times brighter than our Sun.

Many of the stars in this stellar nursery are 20 times more massive than our Sun and are very young. The galaxy which hosts this irregularly shaped nebula is NGC 6822, one of the Milky Way's closest neighbours. Located about 1.6 million light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius, the galaxy is considered prototypical of the earliest fragmentary galaxies that inhabited the young universe.

This Hubble-V image data is a collaborative effort between two science teams, led by C. Robert O'Dell of Vanderbilt University and Luciana Bianchi of Johns Hopkins University and Osservatorio Astronomico, Torinese, Italy. This color image of Hubble-V nebula was produced by The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI) in 2001.

Cosmic campfire 🔥Using Hubble's resolution and ultraviolet sensitivity, a dense knot of dozens of ultra-hot stars were detected nestled in the nebula Hubble-V, each glowing 100,000 times brighter than our Sun!Learn more about this #HubbleClassic view: https://t.co/a6oCniLgn3 pic.twitter.com/7CVz66svLh

— Hubble (@NASAHubble) January 16, 2024

Hubble's spectacular resolution allows astronomers to peer deeper into the cosmos, helping them unlock mysteries and revealing the hidden wonders that abound in the vastness of space.

Launched into orbit in 1990, Hubble's unique position above Earth's atmosphere allows it to avoid atmospheric distortion, allowing for exceptionally clear observations of distant galaxies, nebulae, and other astronomical objects.