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1/7
Why does the Carina Nebula that #JamesWebb recently showed us have such a sharp edge?
A thread:
π΅The top part of the picture is full of very hot stars emitting intense UV radiation.
π€The bottom part is a dense gas cloud of dust, molecules, and atoms, mostly hydrogen.
Why does the Carina Nebula that #JamesWebb recently showed us have such a sharp edge?
A thread:
π΅The top part of the picture is full of very hot stars emitting intense UV radiation.
π€The bottom part is a dense gas cloud of dust, molecules, and atoms, mostly hydrogen.
2/7
In neutral gas, UV photons can't travel very far before hitting an atom.
This πͺπ°π―πͺπ»π¦π΄ the atom into a proton β and an electron β
So the top part is ionized, while the bottom part is neutral.
Ionized gas is largely transparent, while neutral gas is largely opaque.
In neutral gas, UV photons can't travel very far before hitting an atom.
This πͺπ°π―πͺπ»π¦π΄ the atom into a proton β and an electron β
So the top part is ionized, while the bottom part is neutral.
Ionized gas is largely transparent, while neutral gas is largely opaque.
3/7
Molecules and also dust grains are similarly destroyed.
In this way, the hot stars carve out an ionized bubble in the gas cloud from which they were born.
In zoology, this behavior of eating your mother is called "matriphagy". Do not google it before bedtime!
Molecules and also dust grains are similarly destroyed.
In this way, the hot stars carve out an ionized bubble in the gas cloud from which they were born.
In zoology, this behavior of eating your mother is called "matriphagy". Do not google it before bedtime!
