Kosmos-Special: A Remarkable Gallery of the Sky

Hello, space explorer.

Firstly, I’d like to thank each person who has subscribed to this newsletter, and gives me a platform to share what we know (and don’t know) about the universe.
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In today’s Kosmosest Special, we’re going to look at a new breathtaking mosaic view of the sky, painted by the colors of star formation, and how it connects to understanding the diversity of planetary systems.

“They should've sent a poet”.

In the movie Contact, the protagonist Dr. Ellie Arroway embarks on a mind-bending journey to make contact with an extraterrestrial civilization. She finds herself at a lack of words as she tries to capture the profound beauty and wonder of the sights she witnesses.

I found myself wishing for a poet’s vocabulary when trying to convey the kaleidoscope of the latest star formation views. At first glance, the starry image below seems pretty dim. Looking at the same location ourselves at night wouldn’t reveal much to our eyes at all. By using appropriate tools, however, five star-forming regions become visible in this patch of the sky, which is as wide as three full Moons. The image is a mosaic of one million pieces stitched together, combining observations at infrared wavelengths. Zooming in, we will find angelic wings and radiant clumps of colors.