IRAS 20324+4057

IRAS 20324+4057 is a mixture of interstellar gas and dust that extends a light year in length in the Cygnus constellation, 4500 light years away. It has been imaged by the Hubble Space Telescope and has been nicknamed a "Cosmic Caterpillar", as it resembles a crawling caterpillar.[1] The head of the object is a protostar, but the presence of 65 O-type stars, which tend to scatter the matter accumulated by the Cosmic caterpillar, leaves doubt whether the caterpillar will survive and mature into a star.[2]

Cosmic Caterpillar (HST image in green and infrared light)

References
  1. "NASA's Hubble Sees a Cosmic Caterpillar". Science Daily.
  2. Vincent, James (30 August 2013). "Nasa spots a 'Cosmic Caterpillar' in the middle of metamorphosis". The Independent. London.


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