FU Orionis Star System in Orion (infrared) | NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope

FU Orionis Star System in Orion (infrared) | NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope

FU Orionis is a variable and binary star system in the constellation of Orion that in 1937 rose in apparent visual magnitude from 16.5 to 9.6, and has since been around magnitude 9. The name FU Orionis is a variable star designation in the Argelander system, assigned sequentially as new variables are discovered. FU Orionis is about 1,360 light years distant and is associated with the molecular cloud Barnard 35. The star itself is the brightest one in the image, glowing yellow given this particular processing and filter set, just to the lower left of center.

For a long time this variable was considered unique, but in 1970 a similar star, V1057 Cygni, was discovered, and a number of additional examples have been discovered since then. These stars represent the FU Orionis class of variable stars, GCVS type FU, often nicknamed FUors. These stars are pre–main sequence stars displaying extreme changes in magnitude and spectral type.

Also, visible here is Barnard 35, a dark nebula located in the constellation of Orion. It is a dense interstellar cloud of dust and gas that obscures the light from background stars, appearing as a prominent dark nebula against the brighter nebular regions of the Lambda Orionis Ring (also known as Sh 2-264). Discovered by astronomer E. E. Barnard in the early 20th century, Barnard 35 is part of the larger Orion molecular cloud complex and is associated with active star formation triggered by nearby massive stars.

The Spitzer Space Telescope, formerly the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF), was an infrared space telescope that was active between 2003 and 2020. Spitzer was the third space telescope dedicated to infrared astronomy, following IRAS (1983) and ISO (1995–1998). It was the first spacecraft to use an Earth-trailing orbit, later used by the Kepler planet-finder.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) managed the Spitzer Space Telescope mission for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington until the mission was retired in January 2020. Science operations were conducted at the Spitzer Science Center at Caltech. Spacecraft operations were based at Lockheed Martin Space in Littleton, Colorado. Data are archived at the Infrared Science Archive operated by IPAC at Caltech. Caltech manages JPL for NASA.

For more information about Spitzer, visit:
https://www.nasa.gov/spitzer

Credit: Spitzer Space Telescope/NASA/JPL
Release Date: Feb. 7, 2020

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