GN10372 Caption.
Star Birth in the Trifid Nebula
Photo released: November 9, 1999

One of the last images captured by the Hubble Space Telescope before the failure of one of the telescope's three remaining gyroscope-pointing systems made further scientific observations impossible. The pointing systems aim the $3.5 billion observatory at its celestial targets.

This NASA Hubble Space Telescope image of the Trifid Nebula reveals a stellar nursery being torn apart by radiation from a nearby, massive star. The picture also provides a peek at embryonic stars that are forming within an ill-fated cloud of dust and gas that is destined to be eaten away by the glare from the massive neighbour. This stellar activity is a beautiful example of how the life cycle of stars like our Sun is intimately connected with their more powerful siblings.
Credits: NASA and Jeff Hester (Arizona State University)