In a comprehensive survey called ULLYSES (Ultraviolet Legacy Library of Young Stars as Essential Standards), Hubble telescope was able to obtain stellar data in ultraviolet light which can only be viewed from space to help astronomers in their research for decades to come. This data was collected on almost 500 stars over a three-year period — offering new insights into star formation, evolution and how their surroundings impact them.
Two categories of stars were studied in this survey: Super-hot massive stars and young less massive stars. The super-hot massive, blue stars are a million times brighter than the Sun and have a fierce glow in ultraviolet light which can be easily detected by Hubble. These stars have powerful winds that drive galaxy evolution. ULLYSES targeted these blue stars in nearby galaxies because they were common in the early universe.
The young stars less massive than our Sun, in their formative years, unleashed high energy radiation and blasts of ultraviolet light and X-rays. Since they are still growing, they continue to gather material from their surroundings. The survey includes the process of how they attain their mass and how much energy is released to the nearby environment. These observations are just a stepping stone to understanding the first stars of the universe and how they impacted the evolution of the galaxy.
A cluster of glowing blue stars closer to the right side in the center of the image. The stars are concentrated at the center and then spread sparsely throughout the image. Burnt orange and tan colored gas and dust surround the stars and encompass the entire image. A dark formation takes up the center of the nebula.
Credit: NASA, ESA, STScI, Francesco Paresce (INAF-IASF Bologna), Robert O’Connell (UVA), SOC-WFC3, ESO
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