Images of Star-formation in the Milky Way Galaxy

Bowshock near young object in Orion:








Disk in Orion:





Big star-formation region in the Large Magellanic Cloud:  30 Doradus

When a cluster of stars form, the massive stars (which are short-lived) produce UV photons which blast the
surrounding gas and dust.  The UV photons excite the hydrogen atoms --> Halpha emission, red in these pictures.  Black areas are clouds of dust.

The green is another emission line of oxygen.






HST Picture of the Eagle Nebula:  The pillars of creation





The Trifid:











Thackery's Globules:  dark clouds of dust











Halpha pictures, mostly from KPNO:

The North-America Nebula



Horse-head nebula:





The Rosette Nebula:



The witch head nebula:



Dust completely obscures the background stars: