Emerging star cluster in WLM galaxy

15 October, 2015 / Read time: 1 minute

This Video explains how an irregular dwarf galaxy is able to form star clusters similar to those found in larger galaxies.

The optical image of the galaxy was taken with the Blanco 4-meter telescope. The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) data reveal the presence of dense clouds of star-forming dust and gas. The zoom-in illustrates how a collection of stars would appear within one such cloud. 

Credit: Animation by B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF); Optical data: P. Massey/Lowell Observatory and K. Olsen (NOAO/AURA/NSF); ALMA data: M. Rubio et al., Universidad de Chile, ALMA (NRAO/ESO/NAOJ)