05h46m7.34s, −00° 13′ 31.3″| Molecular cloud | |
|---|---|
| Herbig-Haro object | |
HH 24 (top), HH 25 (below the blue nebula in the middle) and HH 26 (red clouds at the bottom)
| |
| Observation data: J2000.0[1] epoch | |
| Right ascension | 05h46m 07.34s[1] |
| Declination | −00° 13′ 31.3″[1] |
| Distance | 1300 ly |
| Constellation | Orion |
| Designations | HH 24, HH 25, HH 26, JCMTSF J054607.3-001333, HH 24/26, HH 24-26, HH 24-27 |
| See also: Lists of nebulae | |
HH 24-26 is a molecular cloud and star-forming region containing the Herbig-Haro objects HH 24, HH 25 and HH 26. This region contains the highest concentration of astrophysical jets known anywhere in the sky.[2] The molecular cloud is located about 1400 light-years away in the L1630 dark cloud, which is part of the Orion B molecular cloud in the constellation of Orion.[3][4]
The region contains multiple protostars (two class 0 and one class I) and four more evolved IRAS sources. The three protostars are driving the Herbig-Haro objects in this region.[3]
The L1630 dark cloud also contains NGC 2071 and the Flame Nebula. HH 24-26 is located just a few arcminutes south of Messier 78.[5]
The image of HH 24 taken by the Hubble Space Telescope is probably the most well known image of this Herbig-Haro object. HH 24 resembles a lightsaber from the science fiction movies Star Wars and the Hubble image was published during the release of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens.[6]
HH 24 contains a class 0 protostar, which might be a proto-binary system. The disks around these objects are highly misaligned, which is a sign of turbulent fragmentation.[7]
