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Lupus Dark Clouds

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description Lupus Dark Clouds Overview

The Lupus Dark Clouds are a group of opaque molecular clouds in the southern constellation Lupus. Their dust absorbs and scatters background starlight, making the clouds appear as dark regions against the Milky Way. Several parts of the complex contain dense gas involved in low-mass star formation, so the region is studied through infrared, millimetre, and other observations that can penetrate or trace the obscuring material.

help Lupus Dark Clouds FAQ

What are the Lupus Dark Clouds?

They are a group of cold, opaque molecular clouds in the southern constellation Lupus. Dust in the clouds absorbs and scatters background starlight, creating dark silhouettes against the Milky Way. [NASA GISS](https://www.giss.nasa.gov/pubs/abs/mu09000j.html)

How far away are the Lupus Dark Clouds?

A commonly cited distance for the Lupus complex is around 155 parsecs, or roughly 500 light-years. The exact distance can vary between subregions and measurement methods. [Astronomical study](https://arxiv.org/abs/0801.3346)

Are stars forming inside the Lupus Dark Clouds?

Yes. Radio carbon-monoxide observations have identified dense gas associated with recent low-mass star formation, including young stellar objects in regions such as Lupus 3. [NASA GISS](https://www.giss.nasa.gov/pubs/abs/mu09000j.html)

How do astronomers study clouds that look dark in visible light?

They use infrared observations to detect young stars and radio observations of molecular tracers such as carbon monoxide. The Spitzer c2d survey also mapped Lupus at 24, 70, and 160 micrometres. [Spitzer Lupus survey](https://arxiv.org/abs/0706.1809)

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