Young stars emit gently curving stellar jets in stunning new photos from the Gemini South telescope in Chile.

The sinuous stellar jets are the by-product of star formation. Their winding appearance is caused by the gravitational attraction of companion stars, according to a statement from the NOIRLab (National Science Foundation’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory).

Their magnetic fields interact with the surrounding gas as the young stars rotate, creating the two streams of ionized gas emitted in opposite directions, which can be seen in the new photos taken by the Gemini South telescope, located on a mountain in the Chilean Andes and operated by National Science Foundation’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory.

Image credit: International Gemini Observatory/NOIRLab/NSF/AURA

The first image captures MHO 2147, a stellar jet located 10,000 light-years in the galactic plane of the Milky Way. It lies close to the boundary between the constellations Ophiuchus and Sagittarius, the Snake Bearer.

“MHO 2147 snakes across a starry backdrop in the image — an appropriately serpentine appearance for an object close to Ophiuchus,” officials said in the National Science Foundation’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory statement.

Gemini South also photographed MHO 1502, a stellar jet located about 2,000 light-years in the constellation of Vela. This stellar jet boasts a knotted appearance, which suggests it is the by-product of two stars that periodically emit gas outflows.

“Most stellar jets are straight, but some can be wandering or knotted,” officials said. “The shape of the uneven jets is thought to be related to a characteristic of the object or objects that created them.”

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Alice Jane
Alice is the Chief Editor with relevant experience of three years, Alice has founded Galaxy Reporters. She has a keen interest in the field of science. She is the pillar behind the in-depth coverages of Science news. She has written several papers and high-level documentation.

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