File:Full-field Optical Image of W3 (2006-w3-more-2).tiff

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English: Full-field Optical Image of W3 W3 is a region where many massive stars are forming in a string of stellar clusters, located about 6,000 light years from Earth in the Perseus arm of the Milky Way galaxy. W3 is part of a vast molecular cloud complex that also contains the W4 superbubble (not seen in this image). Scientists believe that the incredible amount of star formation in W3 has possibly been influenced by neighboring W4, an inflating bubble of gas over 100 light years across. W4 may directly trigger the birth of W3's massive stellar clusters as it expands and sweeps up molecular gas into a high-density layer at its edge, within which stars can form. Another possible scenario is that W4's expansion has caused a domino effect of star formation, forming the cluster IC 1795 which in turn triggered formation of the young, massive clusters in W3. Scale: Image is 31 arcmin across
Date 18 December 2006 (upload date)
Source Full-field Optical Image of W3
Author (Credit: Pal Obs. DSS)
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Public domain This file is in the public domain in the United States because it was solely created by NASA. NASA copyright policy states that "NASA material is not protected by copyright unless noted". (See Template:PD-USGov, NASA copyright policy page or JPL Image Use Policy.)
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Full-field Optical Image of W3 W3 is a region where many massive stars are forming in a string of stellar clusters, located about 6,000 light years from Earth in the Perseus arm of the Milky Way galaxy.

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4e425c86276eaa11217090871f79e1e1e52af15e

18 December 2006

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current00:24, 5 April 2025Thumbnail for version as of 00:24, 5 April 20251,632 × 2,239 (22.46 MB)OptimusPrimeBot#Spacemedia - Upload of https://chandra.si.edu/photo/2006/w3/w3_opt.tif via Commons:Spacemedia

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