An Eye-catching Star Cluster

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Key Takeaways:

  • 1. Westerlund 1 is the largest and closest “super” star cluster to Earth.
  • 2. A newly released image combines x-ray, infrared, and optical data from NASA telescopes.
  • 3. Data from Chandra X-ray Observatory is helping astronomers study star formation in the cluster.

Westerlund 1, the largest and closest "super" star cluster to Earth, is showcased in a stunning image released on July 23, 2025. The image combines x-ray, infrared, and optical data from NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, James Webb Space Telescope, and Hubble Space Telescope, respectively. Astronomers are using data from Chandra to study the galactic factory where stars are actively being produced, with thousands of stars emitting X-rays within the cluster.

Insight: The combination of x-ray, infrared, and optical data from multiple telescopes is providing valuable insights into star formation processes within Westerlund 1, offering a deeper understanding of this celestial phenomenon.

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This article was curated by memoment.jp from the feed source: NASA Breaking News.

Read the original article here: https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/an-eye-catching-star-cluster/

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