Astronomers captured new, detailed maps of three nearby interstellar gas clouds

Researchers mainly targeted three interstellar clouds: the Orion A, Aquila Rift, and M17 regions.

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Interstellar gas clouds are challenging to observe in visible light, but they emit strong radio wavelengths. But, Thanks to Nobeyama 45-m Radio Telescope in Japan that aid scientists to create detailed radio maps of interstellar gas clouds, the birthplaces of stars.

Using the data gathered using the telescope, researchers from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) in collaboration with NAOJ, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo Gakugei University, Ibaraki University, Otsuma Women’s University, Niigata University, Nagoya City University, and other universities, will investigate the star formation process.

Researchers mainly targeted three interstellar clouds: the Orion A, Aquila Rift, and M17 regions.

For the Orion A region, the team took the help of the CARMA interferometer in the United States. Researchers used their data and combined it for the creation of the most detailed map ever of the region.

The resultant map has a spatial resolution of around 3200 astronomical units. This implies the map can uncover details as small as 60 times the size of the Solar System.

Journal Reference:
  1. Nobeyama 45 m mapping observations toward the nearby molecular clouds Orion A, Aquila Rift, and M17: Project overview. DOI: 10.1093/pasj/psz057
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