Discover published sets by community

A reflection nebula is a cloud of dust and gas that reflects the light of nearby stars, often appearing blue due to the preferential scattering of blue light.

A bow shock is the boundary where the speed of the stellar wind from a star meets the interstellar medium at supersonic speeds, forming a curved shock front.

Herbig-Haro objects are small patches of nebulosity associated with newly born stars, formed by jets of gas ejected by the star colliding with the ISM.

Interstellar medium pressure is the collective pressure exerted by gases, magnetic fields, and cosmic rays within the ISM, influencing its dynamics and structure.

A planetary nebula is an expanding cloud of ionized gas emitted by certain types of stars as they reach the end of their life cycle.

Interstellar reddening is the phenomenon whereby starlight is made redder as it passes through the interstellar medium, which scatters the shorter (bluer) wavelengths of light.

An emission nebula is a type of nebula that emits its own light, which is often the result of ionization by nearby hot stars.

Interstellar grains are the solid particles of cosmic dust found within the ISM, contributing to absorption and scattering of light.

Molecular clouds are regions of the ISM where hydrogen gas is primarily in molecular form (H2), and they are the principal sites of star formation.

A nebula is a giant cloud of gas and dust in space, often the site of star formation or the remnants of a star's explosive death.

Coronal gas is a high-temperature, low-density gas found in the galactic halo, extending from the interstellar medium and likely heated by supernovae.

A supernova remnant is the structure resulting from the explosion of a star in a supernova, containing an expanding shell of gas and dust.

A dark nebula is a type of interstellar cloud so dense that it obscures the light from stars behind it, appearing as a dark patch.

Interstellar absorption lines are dark lines observed in the spectra of stars, caused by the absorption of specific wavelengths of light by elements or molecules in the ISM.

Cosmic dust consists of very tiny particles of solid matter found in space, contributing to the reddening and scattering of starlight.

Bok globules are small, dark clouds of dense cosmic dust and gas within the ISM, thought to be the birthplaces of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs.

Interstellar magnetic fields are the magnetic fields that permeate the ISM, influencing the motion of charged particles and the formation of stars.

Interstellar molecules are chemical species composed of two or more atoms found within the interstellar medium, including both organic and inorganic molecules.

Wolf-Rayet stars are a rare class of star characterized by strong winds that constantly eject a significant fraction of their mass, contributing to the enrichment of the ISM.

Interstellar cloud collision is the process where two clouds of gas and dust in the ISM collide, potentially triggering star formation due to the shock and increased density.

PAHs are a class of organic molecules found in space known for their stability and complex ring-shaped structure, thought to play a role in the formation of life

The ISM is the matter that exists in the space between the stars within a galaxy. It consists of gas, dust, and cosmic rays.

Diffuse Interstellar Bands (DIBs) are a set of unidentified absorption lines seen in the spectra of stars, believed to be associated with large molecules in the ISM.

An H II region is a cloud of glowing gas and plasma, created by ionizing radiation from young, hot stars that have recently formed within.

Cosmic rays are highly energetic charged particles that travel through space, originating from the Sun, other stars, or outside the Milky Way.

A dense core is a region within a molecular cloud where the density and gravity are high enough to potentially lead to the formation of a new star or stars.

Interstellar extinction is the absorption and scattering of light from stars and other celestial objects by dust and gas in the ISM, leading to a decrease in their brightness.

The 21 cm line is a spectral line emitted by neutral atomic hydrogen due to the hyperfine transition of the electron spin, which astronomers use to map the ISM.