Image Infographic Research at IA

Massive stars’ formation paradigm

Massive stars' formation paradigm (fragment)

This infographic (fragment) represents the paradigm of star formation based on the idea of matter flowing down filaments in nabulae. Full resolution image.
Credits: M. S. N. Kumar, P. Palmeirim et. al., 2020 / IA / Sérgio Pereira (CC BY-SA 4.0).

This infographic represents the paradigm of star formation based on the idea of matter flowing down filaments in nebulae. Filaments overlap and produce a junction or hub. The density of the hub is increased by a greater number of filaments connected to the hub, which transport matter and amplify even more its density.

Radiation pressure can punch holes in the dense flattened hub and escape through the inter-filamentary space. The expanding radiation bubbles may interfere with the filaments and produce the well-known “pillars of creation”.

The end result is a star cluster comprised of low mass stars born in the filaments, and massive stars formed in the hubs.

Massive stars' formation paradigm

This paradigm was proposed in an article in Astronomy & Astrophysics, the output of a work led by researchers of the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA).

Learn more (in Portuguese) in this article on National Geographic Portugal.

Credits: M. S. N. Kumar, P. Palmeirim et. al., 2020 / IA / Sérgio Pereira (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Full resolution image  (JPEG, 1920 x 1920 px).