RCW 49

RCW 49

Emission nebula
H II region
RCW 49 by the Spitzer Space Telescope Credit: NASA
Observation data: J2000.0 [1] epoch
Right ascension	10^h 24^m 14.6^s [1]
Declination	−57° 46′ 58″ [1]
Distance	13,700 ly
Constellation	Carina
Physical characteristics
Radius	350 ly
Designations	RCW 49, GUM 29

RCW 49 is a H II region^[1] nebula located 13,700 light years away. It is a dusty stellar nursery that contains more than 2,200 stars and is about 350 light years across.

The nebula RCW49, shown in infrared light in this image from the Spitzer Space Telescope, is a nursery for newborn stars. Using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, astronomers have found in RCW49 more than 300 newborn or 'protostars,' all with circumstellar disks of dust and gas. The discovery reveals that galaxies make new stars at a much more prolific rate than previously imagined. The stellar disks of dust and gas not only feed material onto the growing new stars, but can be the raw material for new planetary systems.

External links

• RCW 49 picture and information
• NASA Astronomy Picture of the Day: Cosmic Construction Zone RCW 49 (3 June 2004)
• Devitt, Terry (May 27, 2004). "Milky Way churning out new stars at a furious pace".

References

1. SIMBAD, RCW 49 (accessed 4 April 2012)