Westerhout 40 is notable as one of the closest star-forming regions to the Solar System, at a distance of a little over 1,400 light years. Within its clouds of ionised hydrogren, a populous cluster of some five hundred hot young stars is in the proccess of emerging from the surrounding gases.
A view of the newly-formed cluster of stars at the heart of the swirling gases within the Westerhout 40 stellar nursery. Imagery provided by Aladin sky atlas
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