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RCW 38

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RCW 38
Nebulosity around the embedded star cluster in RCW 38
Observation data (J2000 epoch)
Right ascension08h 59m 05.52s[1]
Declination−47° 30′ 39.2″[1]
Distance5,500 ly (1.7 kpc)[1]
Physical characteristics
Associations
ConstellationVela
See also: Open cluster, List of open clusters

RCW 38 is a star-forming region in the southern constellation of Vela (known as the Sails).[2] It includes an embedded HII region and a super star cluster. This region is located at a distance of approximately 5,500 light-years from the Sun.[1]

This is the youngest super star cluster in the Milky Way galaxy, with age estimates ranging from 0.1 to 1.0 Myr. It has around 10,000 member stars.[3] The cluster member stars are still enshrouded within the dark cloud in which they were born.[4] The star cluster is surrounded by clouds of brightly glowing gas and includes many protostars.[4] Observations by the Chandra X-ray Observatory have revealed more than 800 X-ray emitting young stellar objects in the cluster.[5] 139 infrared sources have been identified as variable, of which 47% are candidate young stellar objects.[6] Jets emerging from young protostars drive further star formation in the surrounding cloud.[7]

The cluster includes about 20 massive O-type stars concentrated in a volume a few parsecs across. The latter stars are having a dissipative effect on the surrounding molecular gas.[3] Five bow shocks have been identified coming from these objects, driven by strong stellar winds.[7] When these massive stars die, likely before the dispersal of the cluster, they will explode as supernovae.[2] It is hypothesized that these O-type stars were formed by a collision of two molecular clouds.[8] The primary cloud has a mass of 3×104 M☉, while the secondary cloud has 2×103 M☉.[3]

In the infrared, the brightest star in this region is designated IRS 2.[9] This is a binary star system consisting of two spectral type O5.5 stars. It is located at the heart of the cluster,[10] and appears to lie at the center of the H II region.[11] The second brightest source is a dust ridge designated IRS 1, positioned about 0.1 pc to the west of IRS 2. Both sources are surrounded by a dust-free cavity about 0.1 pc across.[3]

RCW 38 includes Gum 22, Gum 23, and Gum 24.[12][clarification needed]

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  • The location of RCW 38 (circled in red)
    The location of RCW 38 (circled in red)
  • An X-ray view of the dense central star cluster
    An X-ray view of the dense central star cluster
  • Central part of RCW 38, showing some of the brown dwarf candidates detected within the cluster[13]
    Central part of RCW 38, showing some of the brown dwarf candidates detected within the cluster[13]
  • The wider region surrounding RCW 38
    The wider region surrounding RCW 38

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Wolk, Scott J.; et al. (September 2006). "X-Ray and Infrared Point Source Identification and Characteristics in the Embedded, Massive Star-Forming Region RCW 38". The Astronomical Journal. 132 (3): 1100–1125. arXiv:astro-ph/0605096. Bibcode:2006AJ....132.1100W. doi:10.1086/505704.
  2. ^ a b "Star cluster RCW 38". ESO. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
  3. ^ a b c d Torii, Kazufumi; et al. (February 2021). "ALMA view of the Galactic super star cluster RCW 38 at 270 au resolution". Publications of the Astronomical Society of Japan. 73 (1): 205–219. arXiv:1907.07358. Bibcode:2021PASJ...73..205T. doi:10.1093/pasj/psaa115.
  4. ^ a b Turner, Calum (July 11, 2018). "Colourful Celestial Landscape". Garching bei München, Germany: ESO Public Information Office. Retrieved 2025-03-16.
  5. ^ Broos, Patrick S.; et al. (2013). "Identifying young stars in massive star-forming regions for the MYStIX project". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 209 (2): 32. arXiv:1309.4500. Bibcode:2013ApJS..209...32B. doi:10.1088/0067-0049/209/2/32. ISSN 0067-0049. S2CID 67827240.
  6. ^ Dörr, M.; et al. (May 2013). "Near-infrared variability in the star-forming region RCW 38". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 553. id. A48. Bibcode:2013A&A...553A..48D. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/201220311.
  7. ^ a b Winston, E.; et al. (January 2012). "Spitzer Observations of Bow Shocks and Outflows in RCW 38". The Astrophysical Journal. 744 (2). id. 126. arXiv:1111.4413. Bibcode:2012ApJ...744..126W. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/744/2/126.
  8. ^ Fukui, Y.; et al. (March 2016). "The Two Molecular Clouds in RCW 38: Evidence for the Formation of the Youngest Super Star Cluster in the Milky Way Triggered by Cloud-Cloud Collision". The Astrophysical Journal. 820 (1). id. 26. arXiv:1504.05391. Bibcode:2016ApJ...820...26F. doi:10.3847/0004-637X/820/1/26.
  9. ^ Ascenso, Joana (June 2022). "Hidden power of near-infrared data for the study of young clusters: Illustrative case of RCW 38". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 662. id. A31. arXiv:2203.01064. Bibcode:2022A&A...662A..31A. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202142582.
  10. ^ Winston, E.; et al. (December 2011). "The Structure of the Star-forming Cluster RCW 38". The Astrophysical Journal. 743 (2). id. 166. arXiv:1110.2660. Bibcode:2011ApJ...743..166W. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/743/2/166.
  11. ^ Wolk, S. J.; et al. (2008). "The Embedded Massive Star Forming Region RCW 38". In Reipurth, B. (ed.). Handbook of Star Forming Regions, Volume II: The Southern Sky ASP Monograph Publications. Vol. 5. Astronomical Society of the Pacific. p. 43. Bibcode:2008hsf2.book..124W. ISBN 978-1-58381-670-7.
  12. ^ Lang, Kenneth R. (December 6, 2012). Astrophysical Data: Planets and Stars. Springer Science & Business Media. ISBN 978-1-4684-0640-5.
  13. ^ "Billions of new neighbours?". www.eso.org. Retrieved 17 July 2017.

Further reading

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