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This captivating image of NGC 2264, known as the “Christmas Tree Cluster,” reveals a celestial tree formed by the radiant lights of young stars. Situated approximately 2,500 light-years away in our Milky Way, NGC 2264 comprises stars aged between one and five million years. Differing in size, these stars vary from smaller ones, less than a tenth of the Sun’s mass, to larger counterparts containing about seven solar masses. The composite image combines X-ray, optical, and infrared data, showcasing the cosmic beauty of this stellar congregation.
In this newly composed image, the Christmas tree motif is accentuated through strategic color choices and rotation. The twinkling blue and white lights, captured in an animated version of the picture, represent youthful stars emitting X-rays, detected by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Optical data from the National Science Foundation’s WIYN 0.9-meter telescope paints the nebula’s gas in green, mimicking the “pine needles” of the celestial tree, while infrared data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey showcases foreground and background stars in white. Notably, the image has been rotated clockwise by approximately 160 degrees, deviating from the astronomer’s conventional North pointing upward, creating an illusion that the tree’s top aligns with the image’s upper section.
This composite image captures the enchanting Christmas Tree Cluster. The dynamic blue and white lights, seen blinking in the animated version, represent youthful stars emitting X-rays, a phenomenon detected by NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory. Optical data from the National Science Foundation’s WIYN 0.9-meter telescope at Kitt Peak paints the nebula’s gas in green, mirroring the “pine needles” of the celestial tree.
Meanwhile, infrared data from the Two Micron All Sky Survey reveals foreground and background stars in white. Notably, the image has been rotated clockwise by around 160 degrees, departing from the astronomer’s customary North pointing upward, creating the illusion that the tree’s top aligns with the image’s upper portion.
Young stars, such as those found in NGC 2264, exhibit volatility, experiencing intense flares in X-rays and various light variations. The animated, synchronized blinking in this presentation, though artificial, serves to highlight the X-ray-emitting stars and underscore the Christmas tree resemblance. In reality, the stars’ variations are not coordinated.
Chandra and other telescopes observe these variations due to diverse processes. Magnetic field-related activities, akin to the Sun’s flares but more potent, as well as hot spots and dark regions on rotating stars, contribute to the observed fluctuations. Changes in gas thickness obscuring the stars and alterations in material falling onto the stars from surrounding gas disks also play a role.
The Chandra program is managed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, with the Chandra X-ray Center of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory overseeing science operations in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and flight operations in Burlington, Massachusetts.
A Visual Description of the Christmas Tree Cluster in NGC 2264.
Presented here is a composite image showcasing a cluster of youthful stars, remarkably resembling a cosmic Christmas tree! Identified as NGC 2264, this cluster resides in our Milky Way Galaxy, approximately 2,500 light-years away from Earth. Within this celestial congregation, stars exhibit a range of sizes, varying from relatively small ones to larger counterparts, spanning from one-tenth to seven times the mass of our Sun. The visual spectacle captures the diverse magnificence of this stellar assembly.
This composite image skillfully enhances the Christmas tree motif within the cluster through strategic image rotation and color selection. The wispy green lines and shapes, derived from optical data, craft the boughs and needles, embodying the tree structure. Chandra-detected X-rays manifest as blue and white lights, resembling radiant dots adorning the tree. Infrared data depicts foreground and background stars as luminous white specks against the cosmic void.
The image’s rotation by approximately 150 degrees, deviating from the standard North pointing upward, situates the peak of the conical tree shape near the image’s top. Notably, a subtle bare patch in the branches at the lower right suggests a potential adjustment to better align with the corner.