Astronomy:Perseus molecular cloud

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Perseus Molecular Cloud
Molecular cloud
Giant molecular cloud
PerseusCloudMap.png
Map of the Perseus molecular cloud
Observation data: J2000.0[1] epoch
Right ascension 03h 35.0m[1]
Declination+31° 13′[1]
Distance956–1047 ly   (293–321 [2] pc)
Apparent dimensions (V)6°×2°
ConstellationPerseus
DesignationsPerseus Molecular Cloud, Perseus Cloud, Per MCld, Per Mol Cloud, Perseus Complex, PMC [1]
See also: Lists of nebulae

The Perseus molecular cloud (Per MCld) is a nearby (~1000 ly) giant molecular cloud in the constellation of Perseus and contains over 10,000 solar masses of gas and dust covering an area of 6 by 2 degrees. Unlike the Orion molecular cloud it is almost invisible apart from two clusters, IC 348 and NGC 1333, where low-mass stars are formed. It is very bright at mid and far-infrared wavelengths and in the submillimeter originating in dust heated by the newly formed low-mass stars.

It shows a curious ring structure in maps made by the IRAS and MSX satellites and the Spitzer Space Telescope and has been detected by the COSMOSOMAS at microwave frequencies as a source of anomalous "spinning dust" emission.

Perseus Molecular Cloud
Location
Annotated
Full resolution
Spitzer Space Telescope (19 December 2019)

References

  1. Jump up to: 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "NAME Perseus Cloud". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-basic?Ident=NAME+Perseus+Cloud. 
  2. Ortiz-León, Gisela N.; Loinard, Laurent; Dzib, Sergio A.; Galli, Phillip A. B.; Kounkel, Marina; Mioduszewski, Amy J.; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Torres, Rosa M. et al. (2018). "The Gould's Belt Distances Survey (GOBELINS). V. Distances and Kinematics of the Perseus Molecular Cloud". The Astrophysical Journal 865 (1): 73. doi:10.3847/1538-4357/aada49. Bibcode2018ApJ...865...73O.