Taurus Molecular Cloud 1

Taurus Molecular Cloud 1

Molecular cloud
Giant molecular cloud
Observation data: J2000.0 [1] epoch
Right ascension	04^h 41.0^m [1]
Declination	+25° 52′ [1]
Constellation	Taurus
Designations	HCL 2, Heiles's cloud 2, TMC-1, Taurus Molecular Cloud 1 [1]

The Taurus molecular cloud 1 (often abbreviated TMC-1) is a giant molecular cloud in the constellation of Taurus.

The cloud is notable for containing many complex molecules, including cyanopolyynes HC_nN for n=3,5,7,9.^[2]

The Taurus Molecular Cloud is only 140 pc (430 ly) away from earth, making it the nearest large star formation region. It also reveals characteristics that make it ideal for detailed physical studies. It has been important in star formation studies at all wavelengths.^[3]

This video begins with a wide-field view of the sky, before zooming into the Taurus Molecular Cloud region, about 450 light-years from Earth. Dark clouds of cosmic dust grains obscure the background stars at visible wavelengths. The submillimetre-wavelength observations from the LABOCA camera on APEX reveal the heat glow of the dust grains, shown here in orange tones. The observations cover two regions in the cloud, which are known as Barnard 211 and Barnard 213. In them, newborn stars are hidden, and dense clouds of gas are on the verge of collapsing to form yet more stars.

This video pans over part of the Taurus Molecular Cloud region.

References

1. "TMC-1 -- Molecular Cloud". SIMBAD. Retrieved 2014-03-14.
2. A. Freeman and T. J. Millar (1983), Formation of complex molecules in TMC-1. Nature, volume 301, 402-404 doi:10.1038/301402a0
3. Guedel, M.; Briggs, K. R.; Arzner, K.; Audard, M.; et al. "The XMM-Newton Extended Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud (XEST)". Astronomy and Astrophysics. EDP. Retrieved 11 October 2011.

Coordinates: 04^h 41^m 00^s, +25° 52′ 00″