A Quick Look at W51

Giant molecular clouds are “stellar nurseries” where new stars and planets are born. W51 is one of the closest of these objects so astronomers use it to learn more about star formation. NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory reveals hundreds of point-like X-rays sources in W51, some of which are huge infant stars. The young massive stars in W51 are giving off lots of X-rays because they are so hot and energetic. By studying W51 and others like it, astronomers hope to better understand how all stars, including our Sun, began