Hidden behind a shroud of dust in the constellation Cygnus is an
exceptionally bright source of radio emission called DR21. Visible light
images reveal no trace of what is happening in this region because of
heavy dust obscuration. In fact, visible light is attenuated in DR21 by
a factor of more than
10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000, 000,000,000,000 (ten thousand
trillion heptillion).
New images from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope allow us to peek
behind the cosmic veil and pinpoint one of the most massive natal stars
yet seen in our Milky Way galaxy. The never-before-seen star is 100,000
times as bright as the Sun. Also revealed for the first time is a
powerful outflow of hot gas emanating from this star and bursting
through a giant molecular cloud.
This image shows a 24-micron image mosaic, obtained with the Multiband
Imaging Photometer aboard Spitzer (MIPS). This image maps the cooler
infrared emission from interstellar dust found throughout the interstellar
medium. The DR21 complex is clearly seen near the center of the strip,
which covers about twice the area of the IRAC image.
Perhaps the most fascinating feature in this image is a long and
shadowy linear filament extending towards the 10 o'clock position of
DR21. This jet of cold and dense gas, nearly 50 light-years in extent,
appears in silhouette against a warmer background. This filament is too
long and massive to be a stellar jet and may have formed from a
pre-existing molecular cloud core sculpted by DR21's strong winds.
Regardless of its true nature, this jet and the numerous other arcs and
wisps of cool dust signify the interstellar turbulence normally unseen
by the human eye.
