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Space Photos of the Week: Hangry Stars Munch Down a Cloud

Space photos of the week, May 22—28, 2016.
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<a href="http://www.esa.int/spaceinimages/Images/2016/05/The_Little_Fox_and_the_Giant_Stars">ESA/Herschel/PACS, SPIRE/Hi-GAL Project</a>
SPoW-May28-06.jpg
Situated 8000 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula – Latin for little fox – the region in the image is known as Vulpecula OB1. It is a “stellar association” in which a batch of truly giant “OB” stars is being born. The vast quantities of ultraviolet and other radiation emitted by these stars is compressing the surrounding cloud, causing nearby regions of dust and gas to begin the collapse into more new stars. In time, this process will "eat" its way through the cloud, transforming some of the raw material into shining new stars.

CLICK THROUGH THE gallery to see this week’s helping of the best the universe has to offer. And if you need more when you’re done but can’t wait until the next one, here’s the entire collection.