Hubble peered into the Sagittarius Star Cloud, a narrow, dust-free region, providing this spectacular glimpse of a treasure chest full of stars. Some of these gems are among the oldest inhabitants of our galaxy. By studying the older stars that pack our Milky Way's hub, scientists can learn more about the evolution of our galaxy. Many of the brighter stars in this image show vivid colors. Knowing a star's temperature and the power of the star's radiation allow scientists to make conclusions about its age and mass.
Most blue stars are young and hot, up to ten times hotter than our Sun.
They consume their fuel much faster and live shorter lives than our Sun. Smaller red stars generally have a temperature about half that of our Sun, consuming their fuel slowly and thus, live the longest. Back to top of this page. Email and other contact information.