Uploaded May 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
The Hubble Space Telescope observed a small portion of a star-forming region about 5000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius, known as the Trifid Nebula, first in 1997 and now again, 29 years later.
What are some of the changes we can see?
The Cosmic Sea Lemon’s left 'horn' is part of Herbig-Haro 399, a jet of plasma periodically ejected over centuries by a young protostar embedded in the head of the sea lemon. Changes observed allow researchers to measure the speeds of the outflows and determine how much energy the protostar is injecting into these regions.
Streaks and sharp lines offer more clues about other young stars’ activities. Spy an example by looking near the centre for a rippling angled line that begins in a bright orange and ends in a blazing red. In the image comparison, it appears to move, which means it may be a jet shot out by another actively forming star buried deeply in dust.
The pinker stars in the scene also appear to twinkle or move. This is because stars' positions change from our line of sight, ever so slightly, over decades. This effect is known as proper motion.
📹 European Space Agency (ESA)
#ESA #Space #Hubble
The Hubble Space Telescope observed a small portion of a star-forming region about 5000 light-years away in the constellation Sagittarius, known as the Trifid Nebula, first in 1997 and now again, 29 years later.
What are some of the changes we can see?
The Cosmic Sea Lemon’s left 'horn' is part of Herbig-Haro 399, a jet of plasma periodically ejected over centuries by a young protostar embedded in the head of the sea lemon. Changes observed allow researchers to measure the speeds of the outflows and determine how much energy the protostar is injecting into these regions.
Streaks and sharp lines offer more clues about other young stars’ activities. Spy an example by looking near the centre for a rippling angled line that begins in a bright orange and ends in a blazing red. In the image comparison, it appears to move, which means it may be a jet shot out by another actively forming star buried deeply in dust.
The pinker stars in the scene also appear to twinkle or move. This is because stars' positions change from our line of sight, ever so slightly, over decades. This effect is known as proper motion.
📹 European Space Agency (ESA)
#ESA #Space #Hubble
