NGC 261 lives within the Small Magellanic Cloud, among our Milky Way Galaxy’s closest next-door neighbors.

NGC 261 is a scattered emission nebula situated roughly 200,000 light-years away in the constellation of Tucana.

Understood as Bruck 42, ESO 29-12 or IRAS 00447-7322, the things was found on September 5, 1826, by the Scottish astronomer James Dunlop.

“The ionized gas blazing from within this scattered area marks NGC 261 as an emission nebula,” the Hubble astronomers stated.

“It is home to many stars hot enough to irradiate surrounding hydrogen gas, triggering the cloud to discharge a pinkish-red radiance.”

Hubble turned its eager eye towards NGC 261 to examine how effectively stars type in molecular clouds, which are exceptionally thick and compact areas of gas and dust.

“These clouds typically include big quantities of molecular hydrogen– cold locations where most stars form,” the scientists described.

“However, determining this raw fuel of star development in excellent nurseries is an obstacle since molecular hydrogen does not radiate quickly.”

“Since it is tough to spot, researchers rather trace other particles present in the molecular clouds.”

“The Small Magellanic Cloud hosts a gas-rich environment of young stars in addition to trace quantities of carbon monoxide gas, a chemical associated with hydrogen and typically utilized to recognize the existence of such clouds.”

The brand-new composite image, caught by Hubble’s Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) and Wide Field Camera 3 (WFC3), reveals such stars in the southwest part of the Small Magellanic Cloud where NGC 261 lives.

“The combined power of the ACS and WFC3 instruments enabled us to carefully take a look at the nebula’s star-forming homes through its carbon monoxide gas material at optical and near-infrared wavelengths,” the researchers stated.

“This research study assists us much better comprehend how stars form in our home galaxy and others in our Galactic community.”