https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/https://www.rawpixel.com/image/8718105Edit ImageSaveSaveEditCropCustom Text Make it Yours.Edit, remix and personalize with your own textCustomizeOr start from these designsAlthough there are no seasons in space, this cosmic vista invokes thoughts of a frosty winter landscape. It is, in fact, a region called NGC 6357 where radiation from hot, young stars is energizing the cooler gas in the cloud that surrounds them.This composite image contains X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and the ROSAT telescope (purple), infrared data from NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope (orange), and optical data from the SuperCosmos Sky Survey (blue) made by the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope.Located in our galaxy about 5,500 light years from Earth, NGC 6357 is actually a “cluster of clusters,” containing at least three clusters of young stars, including many hot, massive, luminous stars. The X-rays from Chandra and ROSAT reveal hundreds of point sources, which are the young stars in NGC 6357, as well as diffuse X-ray emission from hot gas. There are bubbles, or cavities, that have been created by radiation and material blowing away from the surfaces of massive stars, plus supernova explosions.Astronomers call NGC 6357 and other objects like it “HII” (pronounced “H-two”) regions. An HII region is created when the radiation from hot, young stars strips away the electrons from neutral hydrogen atoms in the surrounding gas to form clouds of ionized hydrogen, which is denoted scientifically as “HII”.Researchers use Chandra to study NGC 6357 and similar objects because young stars are bright in X-rays. Also, X-rays can penetrate the shrouds of gas and dust surrounding these infant stars, allowing astronomers to see details of star birth that would be otherwise missed.Original public domain image from Wikimedia CommonsMorePublic DomainFree CC0 image for Personal and Business useInfoView CC0 LicenseJPEGSmall JPEG 1200 x 950 px | 300 dpiLarge JPEG 3500 x 2771 px | 300 dpiBest Quality JPEG 3600 x 2850 px | 300 dpiEdit ImageMonthlyYearlySave 50%Get PremiumProfessional design resources and creative toolsfromfrom$6.50/mo$78 billed yearlyUnlimited downloadsAd-free experienceUnlock millions of creative assets and our entire Creative Studio of editable templates, mockups and design toolsBuy Now