Young stars sculpt gas
13.powerful outflows
with
This Hubble Space Telescope view shows one of the most dynamic and intricately detailed star-forming
regions in space, located 210,000 light-years away in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC), a satellite galaxy
of our Milky Way. At the centre of the region is a brilliant star cluster called NGC 346. A dramatic structure
of arched, ragged filaments with a distinct ridge surrounds the cluster.
A torrent of radiation from the hot stars in the cluster NGC 346, at the centre of this Hubble image, eats
into denser areas around it, creating a fantasy sculpture of dust and gas. The dark, intricately beaded
edge of the ridge, seen in silhouette, is particularly dramatic. It contains several small dust globules that
point back towards the central cluster, like windsocks caught in a gale.
Credit: NASA, ESA and A. Nota (ESA/STScI, STScI/AURA)
“After my PhD I spent three years at the Space Telescope Science
Institute which is responsible for all the science operations with
Hubble. This was a very exciting time. Especially during a certain
week in the year, the week right before the proposal deadline,
when all astronomers write what amazing science they would
like to do with Hubble. In Baltimore, where nearly everyone uses
Hubble, this week is crazy. Getting time on Hubble is very hard.
Only 1 out of every 8 proposals gets time. And it takes a lot of
effort to write a proposal.
“The weeks before, the Institute seems to be buzzing. People are
excited to discuss wild ideas, brainstorm with each other how the
instruments can be used to get the most out of it. For many it is a
very stressful period, where most people barely get any sleep. But
the intensity and passion people have for their work is very hard to
describe and it really struck me.
“One of the better memories is of the colleague who would
order many pizzas to support everyone who was still working on
improving their proposals. If you realize how hard it is to get time
and how competitive it is, it is very special to feel that supportive
atmosphere in the Institute. People just want to amazing science
with Hubble. That week they seem to give everything for it.”
— Dr. Selma E. de Mink
Assistant Professor
University of Amsterdam
Netherlands