Milky
Way
O Abundance
(% solar)
Stars
Stellar & Gas Masses
(solar masses)
Gas
Star-Formation Rate
(solar masses/year)
Gas mass is based on neutral hydrogen
content. Astronomers don’t have a specific
estimateforJ0811+4730’sgasmass,so
only its estimated mass in stars is shown. 100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
1010
1011
~10 0
%
2
SSTELLAR NURSERYMassive stars make oxygen, littering
theirnatalneighborhoodsandstarsbornthere.Thisfalse-
colour Hubble image of the Carina Nebula shows oxygen
inblue,hydrogenandnitrogeningreen,andsulfurinred.
Oxygen glows primarily where young stars have carved out
the clouds.
CARINA: NASA / ESA / M. LIVIO / HUBBLE 20TH ANNIVERSARY TEAM (STSCI); BLUE BACKG
ROUND: HARDIK PETHANI / GETTY IMAGES
Galaxy scorecard
PRIMORDIAL PROXIES
30 AUSTRALIAN SKY & TELESCOPE May | June 2018