Astronomy:IRAS 20324+4057

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Nebula
NASA’s Hubble Sees a Cosmic Caterpillar (9621392263).jpg
Cosmic Caterpillar (HST image in green and infrared light)
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Right ascension 20h 34m 13.25177s[1]
Declination+41° 08′ 13.8973″[1]
Distance4600 ly   (1400[2] pc)
ConstellationCygnus
Physical characteristics
Dimensions54.7″ × 14.1″[2]
See also: Lists of nebulae

IRAS 20324+4057 is a mixture of interstellar gas and dust that extends a light year in length in the Cygnus constellation, 4,600 light-years away.[2] It is located within the Cygnus OB2 association.[2] It has been imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope and has been nicknamed a "Cosmic Caterpillar", as it resembles a crawling caterpillar.[3] The head of the object is a protostar, but the presence of 65 O-type stars, which tend to scatter the matter accumulated by the Cosmic caterpillar, leaves doubt whether the caterpillar will survive and mature into a star.[4]

References