NGC 2040 lies around 160,000 light-years far from Earth in the constellation of Dorado.

Understood as CAL 60 or ESO 56-164, the cluster lives within the Large Magellanic Cloud, a satellite dwarf galaxy of the Milky Way.

NGC 2040 is a so-called OB association, an outstanding group that generally consists of 10-100 stars of type O and B.

“Stars of the O and B spectral types lead brief lives of just a couple of million years, throughout which they burn extremely hot before blowing up as supernovae,” the NOIRLab astronomers stated in a declaration.

“The energy launched by the surges of these enormous stars feeds the development of NGC 2040’s structure, while the expelled product seeds the development of the next generation of stars.”

It is believed that the majority of the stars in our Galaxy were born in OB associations comparable to NGC 2040.

“NGC 2040 belongs to a huge structure of interstellar gas called LH 88, which is among the biggest active star-forming areas in the Large Magellanic Cloud,” the astronomers stated.

“Over the next million years countless brand-new stars will be born in the area.”

“When the O and B stars end their lives as supernovae they will improve the cluster with components such as carbon, oxygen, and iron,” they stated.

“Together with the abundant hydrogen of the cluster, these components offer the required components for the development of brand-new stars, worlds, and maybe even life.”

“The brilliant stars seen in the image are extensively separated, however their movements through area are comparable, suggesting that they have a typical origin.”

“The layered ambiguous structures in LH 88 are the residues of stars that have actually currently passed away.”

“The fragile leaves of the rose were formed by both the shockwaves from supernovae and the excellent winds of the O and B stars.”