NGC7822 nebula in Cepheus- Pillars of gas, dust, and hot-burning young stars form the center of NGC 7822. A giant molecular cloud spreads across much of the constellation Cepheus. This nebula is on the northern edge of this glowing star forming region about 3,000 light-years away from us. Within this nebula, bright edges and pink-coloured shapes are visible in this beautiful area of Cepheus. The atomic emissions are powered by the energetic radiation from the hot stars, whose powerful winds sculpt and erode the denser pillar shapes. Stars could still be forming inside the pillars by gravitational collapse, but as the pillars are eroded away, any forming stars will ultimately be cutoff from their reservoir of star-forming material.

NGC 7822

< Back