ARIES Nainital study finds massive stars trigger star formation in Bright Rimmed Cloud 44
On 8 May 2026 DST announced that scientists at ARIES, Nainital found UV radiation from a massive star triggering new star formation in Bright Rimmed Cloud 44 in the Cepheus OB2 complex, identifying 22 new young stellar objects.
Summary
Scientists at the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital, an autonomous institute under the Department of Science and Technology, studied Bright Rimmed Cloud 44 (BRC 44), about 900 parsecs from Earth in the Cepheus OB2 star-forming complex, and found that UV radiation from a massive star ionises the cloud's surface, compressing the gas and sending shock waves that trigger new star formation. The team discovered 22 new young stellar objects in BRC 44. Observations used the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope and the Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope, with Spitzer Space Telescope data and radio observations from China's Purple Mountain Observatory, and the results were published in The Astrophysical Journal.
Key facts
- Institute
- ARIES, Nainital (autonomous, under DST)
- Target
- Bright Rimmed Cloud 44, ~900 parsecs away, Cepheus OB2 complex
- Finding
- UV from a massive star triggers new star formation; 22 new young stellar objects
- Telescopes
- 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope, DFOT, Spitzer; Purple Mountain Observatory
- Journal
- The Astrophysical Journal
Practice MCQs 2 questions
Bright Rimmed Cloud 44 (BRC 44), studied by ARIES Nainital scientists in a study reported in May 2026, lies within which star-forming complex?
Show answer
Correct answer: A — Cepheus OB2
BRC 44 lies about 900 parsecs from Earth within the Cepheus OB2 star-forming complex.
Which Indian telescope was used by ARIES scientists in the BRC 44 star-formation study reported in May 2026?
Show answer
Correct answer: B — 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope
The team used the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope and the Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope, along with Spitzer data.