There are many questions surrounding the mechanics of star formation, from timeline to impact on surrounding stars. But for astronomers at the European Southern Observatory (ESO), one particular question is of particular focus: If you pack more material into a star-forming cloud, do you get more stars for your trouble?
Using the ArTéMiS camera at the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) — a radio telescope in Chile operated by the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy — the ESO astronomers zoomed in on GAL316, a key stellar nursery. This image is part of a larger survey, the Core And Filament Formation/Evolution In Natal Environments (CAFFEINE) survey, which the astronomers are using to answer their key question — and fuel their thirst for knowledge.
