2009/02/18 by S. T. Megeath, E. Allgaier, E. Young +3
Chemistry · Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Astrophysics and Star Formation Studies #Fullerene Chemistry and Applications #astro-ph.GA
paper · pdf · doi:10.1088/0004-6256/137/4/4072
Accepted to AJ. Full electronic version at: http://astro1.physics.utoledo.edu/~megeath/mt_stm.pdf tables on http://astro1.physics.utoledo.edu/~megeath/mt_stm_table.pdf
arxiv created 2009/02/18 · openalex publication_date 2009/03/10 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2016/06/24 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/01
The giant molecular cloud G216-2.5, also known as Maddalena's cloud or the Maddalena–Thaddeus cloud, is distinguished by an unusual combination of high gas mass (1–6 × 10 5 M ☉ ), low kinetic temperatures (10 K), and the lack of bright far-IR emission. Although star formation has been detected in neighboring satellite clouds, little evidence for star formation has been found in the main body of this cloud. Using a combination of mid-IR observations with the IRAC and Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer instruments onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope, and near-IR images taken with the Flamingos camera on the KPNO 2.1 m telescope, we identify a population of 41 young stars with disks and 33 protostars in the center of the cloud. Most of the young stellar objects are coincident with a filamentary structure of dense gas detected in CS (2 → 1). These observations show that the main body of G216 is actively forming stars, although at a low stellar density comparable to that found in the Taurus cloud.