Herbig-Haro Object HH111

This striking image features a relatively rare celestial phenomenon known as a Herbig–Haro object. This particular Herbig–Haro object is named HH111. Newly formed stars are often very active, and in some cases they expel very narrow jets of rapidly moving ionised gas — gas that is so hot that its molecules and atoms have lost their electrons, making the gas highly charged. The streams of ionised gas then collide with the clouds of gas and dust surrounding newly-formed stars at speeds of hundreds of miles per second. These energetic collisions create Herbig–Haro objects such as HH111.