The open star cluster
Pismis 24 is in the
nebula NGC 6357. It has some of the largest stars known. Pismis 24-1 has nearly 300 times the
mass of the
Sun. It is a multiple system of at least three stars.
The strange shapes taken by the clouds are a result of the vast
radiation emitted by these huge, hot stars.
This image combines image data with three different
filters in visible light from the 1.5-metre
Danish telescope at the ESO La Silla Observatory in
Chile.