Sunny Priyan
The Tarantula Nebula, located 160,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud, is the most active star-forming region, home to the universe's most massive stars.
The nebula’s vibrant gas clouds contain wispy tendrils and dark dust clumps, distinct from everyday household dust.
Cosmic dust is often comprised of carbon or of molecules called silicates, which contain silicon and oxygen.
This image is part of a program designed to study the properties of cosmic dust in the Large Magellanic Cloud and nearby galaxies.
Dust plays a crucial role in the universe, as tiny grains around young stars clump together to form larger particles and eventually planets.
Dust helps cool gas clouds to form new stars and aids in the creation of molecules by providing a space for atoms to bond in the vastness of space.