Universe ID: 30666

Flight to Star Cluster Westerlund 2

Released on September 24, 2015

This visualization provides a three-dimensional perspective on Hubble's 25th anniversary image of the nebula Gum 29 with the star cluster Westerlund 2 at its core. The flight traverses the foreground stars and approaches the lower left rim of the nebula Gum 29. Passing through the wispy darker clouds on the near side, the journey reveals bright gas illuminated by the intense radiation of the newly formed stars of cluster Westerlund 2. Within the nebula, several pillars of dark, dense gas are being shaped by the energetic light and strong stellar winds from the brilliant cluster of thousands of stars.

For More Information

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2015/12/

Credits

Frank Summers (STScI): Project Support
Mark Malanoski (GST): Project Support
Greg Bacon (STScI/Aura): Project Support
Jay Anderson (STScI): Project Support
Lisa Frattare (STScI): Project Support
Zoltan Levay (STScI/Aura): Project Support

Please give credit for this item to:
NASA, ESA, G. Bacon, L. Frattare, Z. Levay, and F. Summers (Viz3D Team, STScI), and J. Anderson (STScI)