Three infrared views of the Orion region of massive star formationtaken with the Herschel Space Observatory, the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA), and the Spitzer Space Telescope, reveal very similar morphology with different tracers of the dust and gas in the molecular cloud. The dust continuum view as observed by the Herschel Space Observatory in far-infrared (blue; PACS) and sub-millimeter (red; SPIRE) emission, measuring the conversion of FUV radiation from massive stars to dust emission in the photodissociation region (PDR). The integrated [CII] 1.9 THz (158 μm) emission as observed by the upGREAT instrument on board SOFIA, tracing cooling and kinematics of PDR gas. c) The 8 μm PAH emission observed by the IRAC instrument on board of the Spitzer Space Telescope, outlining the FUV illuminated PDR surfaces.
Additional Information
Massive Star Formation in Orion
United States
