Hubble observes formation of massive star

This image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope shows the relatively nearby star-forming region IRAS 16562-3959. It is located within the Milky Way galaxy in the constellation Scorpius, about 5,900 light years from Earth. This image was taken with “Wide Angle Camera 3”. Detailed color reproduction is the result of four separate filters. Thin strips of these special materials are pushed in front of the instrument’s sensors, allowing specific wavelengths of light to pass through each observation. This is useful because specific wavelengths of light provide information about the composition, temperature, and density of an area. At the center of the image is a star with about 30 times the mass of the Sun. It is still in the development process. Dark clouds appear this way because of large amounts of light-blocking dust that blocks light in near-infrared wavelengths. But near-infrared light comes from the top left and bottom right, where powerful jets from giant protostars washed away dust. Multi-wavelength images like this amazing Hubble image help us better understand how the largest and brightest stars in galaxies form.