In order to further increase the accuracy, the mean dust density was measured in concentric circles around the centre - this resulted in a very accurate determination of the change in dust density with the distance from the centre. It was found that this dependance is almost exactly as that predicted for a sphere in which the opposite forces of gravity and internal pressure closely balance each other. Nevertheless, it is also evident that Barnard 68 is only marginally stable and is on the verge of collapse. This first-ever, detailed characterization of a dark interstellar cloud that is currently in the stage immediately preceding collapse and subsequent star formation constitutes a very important step towards a better understanding of earliest phases of the stellar life cycle. The team is now eager to continue this type of investigation on other dark clouds.
North is up and East is left.