Description:
RCW 79 and RCW 80 are two neighboring emission nebulae and H II regions located in the constellation Centaurus. Both are regions of active star formation, glowing brightly due to ionized hydrogen gas energized by nearby young, massive stars.
RCW 79 has a striking ring-like shape, often seen in infrared images. This bubble was likely formed by winds and radiation from central massive stars pushing outward and compressing gas, which can trigger new star formation along the ring.
Smaller and more irregular than RCW 79, RCW 80 is a rich, glowing cloud of hydrogen gas with embedded young stars. It also contains dark dust regions and is studied for its dense star-forming clumps.
PK 308+00.1 is a planetary nebula located in the constellation Centaurus. It is also cataloged as Henize 2-111 (Hen 2-111), named after the astronomer Karl Gordon Henize who compiled a list of planetary nebulae in the southern hemisphere.
Planetary nebulae like PK 308+00.1 are not related to planets—the term was coined in the 18th century because through small telescopes, they looked like planetary disks. They are actually the final evolutionary stage of medium-sized stars (like our Sun), where the star sheds its outer layers and leaves behind a white dwarf.
