Discovery of a cold and gravitationally unstable cloud fragment.
Abstract
1300μm mapping of the region around the energy source of HH24 in the dark cloud L1652 has revealed a neighbouring strong, previously unknown source of dust emission. Photometry at 450, 800, 1100 and 1300μm yields a very low dust temperature of around 10 K. Estimates for the mass of the object lead to values of 36 and 52 Msun for radii of 4.1 × 1016 and 8.2 × 1016 cm which is at least a factor of 50 above the Jeans mass. The 1300μm contours show an elongation along N-S and a strong central increase in density. These observational facts lead us to suggest that we have detected a cold and gravitationally unstable cloud fragment which might be a protostar.
- Publication:
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Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- May 1993
- Bibcode:
- 1993A&A...272L...5C
- Keywords:
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- interstellar medium: dust;
- formation of stars