RCW 38 is an HII region containing a massive star cluster located approximately 5,500 light years away from Earth in the direction of the constellation Vela (known as the Sails).[2] The stars were very recently formed, and are still enshrouded within the dark cloud in which they were born. The star cluster is surrounded by clouds of brightly glowing gas and is composed of several short-lived massive stars, hundreds of young stars, and many protostars.[3]
The star cluster contains several O-type stars with masses much larger than the sun. When these stars die, likely before the dispersal of the cluster, they will explode as supernovae.
The star cluster was also observed during testing of the HAWK-I camera, which revealed many details within the cluster that previously were obscured.[6]
Central part of RCW 38; the inserts on the sides show a subset of the brown dwarf candidates detected within the cluster [7]
The wider region surrounding RCW 38
References
^Wolk, S. J.; Bourke, T. L.; Vigil, M. (2008). "The Embedded Massive Star Forming Region RCW 38". In Reipurth, B. (ed.). Handbook of Star Forming Regions, Volume II: The Southern Sky ASP Monograph Publications. Vol. 5. p. 43. Bibcode:2008hsf2.book..124W. ISBN978-1-58381-670-7.
^Broos, Patrick S.; Getman, Konstantin V.; Povich, Matthew S.; Feigelson, Eric D.; Townsley, Leisa K.; Naylor, Tim; Kuhn, Michael A.; King, Robert R.; Busk, Heather A. (2013). "IDENTIFYING YOUNG STARS IN MASSIVE STAR-FORMING REGIONS FOR THE MYStIX PROJECT". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 209 (2): 32. arXiv:1309.4500. Bibcode:2013ApJS..209...32B. doi:10.1088/0067-0049/209/2/32. ISSN0067-0049. S2CID67827240.