(WJET/WFXP) — A cosmic phenomenon has caused Christmas tree-like objects to appear in the starry sky, adding to the holiday spirit.
According to NASA, the telescope I took an image of NGC 2264this is a group of young stars ranging in age from 1 million to 5 million years old.
NGC 2264, also known as the “Christmas Tree Cluster” because it looks like a cosmic tree of glowing lights, is found in the Milky Way about 2,500 light-years from Earth.
According to NASA, NGC 2264’s star can be smaller or larger than the Sun.
The image below shows the cluster rotated about 160 degrees with north facing upwards, which is the standard for astronomers. This places the apex of the conical tree near the top.
As for the green gas in the cluster, NASA said it represents the “pine needles” of trees.
In the video player above, you can also see a newly formed star cluster that looks like flashing Christmas lights.
NASA said these new stars are “volatile and can cause strong flares when picked up by X-rays and other types of changes observed through various types of light.”
The “flashing lights” in the video were artificially created to highlight the star’s position as seen in NASA’s X-rays. In the real world, stars do not synchronize.
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