Merry And Galactic: Christmas Tree Cluster Signals the Start of Holiday Season
In a festive cosmic party perfect for the holidays, NASA has revealed a gorgeous picture of NGC 2264, lovingly called the 'Christmas Tree Cluster.' This lively area where stars are born is about 2,500 light-years away in our Milky Way and it looks like a cheerful tree decked out with sparkling lights.
NASA cleverly crafted composite picture sparks the imagination by playing with colors and perspective. Astronomers gave the cluster a holiday twist by rotating the view about 160 degrees clockwise, highlighting its Christmas tree form, complete with the tip pointing skyward.The cluster is like a cradle for baby stars, with ages ranging from one to five million years. These stars come in all sizes, from tiny ones less than a tenth of our Sun's mass to giants seven times its size.
This celestial Christmas Tree Cluster isn't just a visual delight—it's also a treasure trove for scientific exploration. Because it's relatively close to Earth and home to a mix of different stars, NGC 2264 is valuable for studying how stars are born and evolve in their early stages.
In the star nursery called NGC 2264, you'll find not only the Christmas Tree Cluster but also the Cone Nebula, the Fox Fur Nebula, and the Snowflake Cluster. The Christmas Tree Cluster earned its name because it's shaped like a triangle, resembling a tree made of very young stars when seen in visible light. You can spot it in the northern part of NGC 2264, just above the Cone Nebula.
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