Comments on: Spitzer Takes Family Portrait of Stars Amid Another "Celestal Geode" http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/22/spitzer-takes-family-portrait-of-stars-amid-another-celestal-geode/ Space and astronomy news Sun, 8 Nov 2009 10:14:11 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Jon Hanford http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/22/spitzer-takes-family-portrait-of-stars-amid-another-celestal-geode/comment-page-1/#comment-30765 Jon Hanford Tue, 26 Aug 2008 17:07:06 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=17231#comment-30765 For Steve, anyone residing inside this (or any other similar bubble) would be exposed to high levels of high energy radiation. The first stars to form would be the O & B-type supergiants, whose energetic 'winds' create the cavity in the gas in the first place. Even solar-mass stars & their nascent protoplanetary systems would have little time to mature in this highly energetic 'Stromgen sphere'. Maybe life heavily shielded below planetary surfaces would have a chance to evolve & peek out at their surroundings, but again, the O & B stars have relatively short lifetimes and are prone to go supernova, perhaps before life gets a foothold on a planet orbiting a solar mass star. It's a rough neighborhood inside these spheres, but I agree, just the view would be quite a thrill. For Steve, anyone residing inside this (or any other similar bubble) would be exposed to high levels of high energy radiation. The first stars to form would be the O & B-type supergiants, whose energetic 'winds' create the cavity in the gas in the first place. Even solar-mass stars & their nascent protoplanetary systems would have little time to mature in this highly energetic 'Stromgen sphere'. Maybe life heavily shielded below planetary surfaces would have a chance to evolve & peek out at their surroundings, but again, the O & B stars have relatively short lifetimes and are prone to go supernova, perhaps before life gets a foothold on a planet orbiting a solar mass star. It's a rough neighborhood inside these spheres, but I agree, just the view would be quite a thrill.

]]> By: Jon Hanford http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/22/spitzer-takes-family-portrait-of-stars-amid-another-celestal-geode/comment-page-1/#comment-30697 Jon Hanford Tue, 26 Aug 2008 01:58:45 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=17231#comment-30697 The paper referenced in the above article by Nancy is arXiv:0808.3284v1 and it contains many more color pics & info on the star forming region W5. Check it out just for the cool IR pictures. It's just been posted at the arXiv site 8-26-08. The paper referenced in the above article by Nancy is arXiv:0808.3284v1 and it contains many more color pics & info on the star forming region W5. Check it out just for the cool IR pictures. It's just been posted at the arXiv site 8-26-08.

]]> By: pro http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/22/spitzer-takes-family-portrait-of-stars-amid-another-celestal-geode/comment-page-1/#comment-30581 pro Mon, 25 Aug 2008 06:20:16 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=17231#comment-30581 I think not... First because they are inside, and second, those clouds are no as surface-bright as the image suggests.. So to see any of this, they will also have to use high-sensitive sensors, just as we have to. I think not…
First because they are inside, and second, those clouds are no as surface-bright as the image suggests.. So to see any of this, they will also have to use high-sensitive sensors, just as we have to.

]]> By: Steve http://www.universetoday.com/2008/08/22/spitzer-takes-family-portrait-of-stars-amid-another-celestal-geode/comment-page-1/#comment-30431 Steve Sat, 23 Aug 2008 07:37:51 +0000 http://www.universetoday.com/?p=17231#comment-30431 This image is breathtaking in its color and clarity, yet its beauty has been invisible to mankind until now. I wonder what other surprises Nature has in store for us? For someone living on a planet orbiting one of those stars, what would the night sky look like? Would those magnificent gas clouds be visible to the naked eye (assuming they have eyes, of course)? This image is breathtaking in its color and clarity, yet its beauty has been invisible to mankind until now. I wonder what other surprises Nature has in store for us?

For someone living on a planet orbiting one of those stars, what would the night sky look like? Would those magnificent gas clouds be visible to the naked eye (assuming they have eyes, of course)?

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