X-ray & Infrared Images of W51
Because of its relative proximity, the giant molecular cloud W51 provides astronomers with an excellent opportunity to study how stars are forming in our Milky Way galaxy. These images contain X-ray data from Chandra and infrared light from Spitzer. Chandra reveals about 600 point-like X-ray sources and diffuse X-ray emission. These X-rays come from young stars, many of which are clumped together in stellar clusters of different sizes throughout W51. Observations like these give astronomers detailed information about how stars form.
(Credit: X-ray: NASA/CXC/PSU/L.Townsley et al; Infrared: NASA/JPL-Caltech)