Astronomers have made an impressive set of multi-wavelength observations of the same system, called the HH 24 complex. This complex hosts stars in the process of birth and the effects of their violent interactions with each other, including the expulsion of one of their brothers and sisters.
Altogether, astronomers used six telescopes to make these observations, including the Hubble Space Telescope, the Very Large Array and the ALMA telescope. With the combined power of all their observing wavelengths, astronomers were able to piece together a complete picture of the HH 24 complex.
The core of the HH 24 complex is a dense cloud of gas and dust that contains at least seven known objects. These objects are small, hot and dense, but have not yet reached the stage where they can fuse hydrogen into their cores and become true stars. However, one seems to be right on the edge of that limit and will essentially become a star any day now.
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The HH 24 complex (image credit: Reipurth et al.)
However, this new seven-star system is not stable. Because of their masses and orbits, they are bound to interact violently with each other. In fact, astronomers have captured one such ejection in action. The ejected object is an incredibly small protostar, almost small enough to count as a brown dwarf instead. It is currently moving away from the core of the protostellar system at about 25 km/s, meaning it was orphaned about 5,800 years ago. Over the next few thousand years, at least some of his siblings will probably join.
Protostars of any kind are incredibly violent as they form. Material swirls down toward the protostars, building their mass, but as the protostars heat up, they interact with this same medium. The movement of gas and dust can form incredibly strong electric and magnetic fields. These fields then direct some of the gas around the star to form jets. A similar process occurs around supermassive black holes, but on a much larger scale.
In the case of the HH 24 complex, astronomers observed five thin, narrow jets emanating from the central core. These jets are enveloped by magnetic field lines that give them their shape. All together the jets extend at least five light years from the core.
In the midst of all this violence, there is also hope for planets. Astronomers observed small protoplanetary disks around five stars, some with gaps in them, suggesting the presence of young forming planets. If these stars survive the violent interactions they must face over the next few thousand years, these planets may remain bound to their parent stars.
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