This visualization provides a three-dimensional perspective on Hubble's
25th anniversary image of the nebula Gum 29 with the star cluster
Westerlund 2 at its core. The flight traverses the foreground stars and
approaches the lower left rim of the nebula Gum 29. Passing through the
wispy darker clouds on the near side, the journey reveals bright gas
illuminated by the intense radiation of the newly formed stars of
cluster Westerlund 2. Within the nebula, several pillars of dark, dense
gas are being shaped by the energetic light and strong stellar winds
from the brilliant cluster of thousands of stars. Note that the
visualization is intended to be a scientifically reasonable
interpretation and that distances within the model are significantly
compressed.
Credit: NASA, ESA, G. Bacon, L. Frattare, Z. Levay, and F. Summers
(Viz3D Team, STScI), and J. Anderson (STScI)
Acknowledgment: The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), A. Nota
(ESA/STScI), the Westerlund 2 Science Team, and ESO.
