Survey by Centre for Astrophysics and Planetary Science has found new jets from young stars in the Galaxy.
Using the UK Infra-Red Telescope, based in Hawaii, the five year survey has covered an area approximately 1450 times the size of the moon, or the equivalent of a 95 GigaPixel image.
Based on current estimates using the surveyʼs data, it expects to identify about 1000 unique jets from young stars, with at least 90% of these new discoveries. The survey also expects to find 300 planetary nebulae, which are remnants of older stars that have shed their outer layers of gas, but haven’t exploded into supernovas. Almost half of these objects are believed to be unknown.
These discoveries are expected to prompt significant changes in the understanding of the planetary nebulae population in the Galaxy, as well as the properties of jets ejected from young forming stars.
More information on the project and its findings is here.
The project has been led by Dr Dirk Froebrich from the Centre for Astrophysics and Planetary Science at Kent, in collaboration with Dr Chris J. Davis from the Astrophysics Research Institute at Liverpool John Moores University.
Other images from the survey can be found here:
For more information contact Katie Newton.