What's Happening?
The Hubble Space Telescope has captured a striking image of a jet of ionized gas from a forming star, known as HH 80/81, in the Sagittarius constellation. These Herbig-Haro objects are the result of jets of ionized gas from a protostar colliding with
slower-moving gas, creating bright, glowing regions. The protostar, IRAS 18162-2048, is about 20 times the mass of the Sun and is the most massive in the L291 molecular cloud. The outflow from HH 80/81 stretches over 32 light-years, making it the largest known protostellar outflow. The speed of the outflow, measured at over 1,000 km/s, is the fastest recorded from a young stellar object. This observation is unique as it is driven by a massive star, unlike typical Herbig-Haro jets from low-mass stars.
Why It's Important?
The observation of HH 80/81 provides valuable insights into the processes of star formation, particularly in massive stars. Understanding the dynamics of such massive protostellar outflows can help refine models of star formation and the evolution of massive stars. The data collected by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 allows astronomers to study the fine details and structural changes in these objects, contributing to a deeper understanding of the mechanisms driving star formation. This research is crucial for astrophysics, as it enhances our knowledge of how massive stars form and evolve, which has implications for the study of galaxies and the universe's structure.
