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Westerlund 2 / Gum 29

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description Westerlund 2 / Gum 29 Overview

Westerlund 2 is a massive, compact star cluster located roughly 20,000 light-years away in the constellation Carina. It is embedded within the Gum 29 HII emission nebula, a region of gas and dust actively forming new stars. The cluster contains several extremely hot and luminous stars, including Wolf-Rayet binaries, and was famously photographed by the Hubble Space Telescope to commemorate its 25th anniversary in 2015.

help Westerlund 2 / Gum 29 FAQ

Where is the Westerlund 2 star cluster located in the night sky?

Westerlund 2 is a massive, compact star cluster located roughly 20,000 light-years away from Earth. It is situated in the constellation Carina.

What is the relationship between the star cluster Westerlund 2 and the Gum 29 nebula?

The star cluster is physically embedded within the Gum 29 HII emission nebula. This region of glowing gas and dust is actively forming new stars, which are then illuminated by the massive stars of Westerlund 2.

What types of stars are found inside the Westerlund 2 cluster?

The cluster contains several extremely hot, massive, and luminous stars, including Wolf-Rayet stars and O-type giants. These massive stars blast the surrounding Gum 29 nebula with intense ultraviolet radiation.

Has Westerlund 2 ever been photographed by a major space observatory?

Yes, to celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2015, the Hubble Space Telescope captured a spectacular, high-resolution image of Westerlund 2. The image showed the dazzling stars amidst the towering pillars of the surrounding gas nebula.

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