APOD 3.4

RCW 49, a dusty stellar star-forming region surrounds Westerlund 2, a young star cluster, in this skyscape shown beyond the visible spectrum of light. Shown in black and white, is the infrared data from the Spitzer Space Telescope, which compliment colors come from the Chandra X-ray image data (in false color) of the hot young stars in the cluster's central region. Near the southern constellation Centaurus, the cluster is situated at an estimated 20,000 light-years away. The square showing the Chandra field of view is about 50 light-years on a side. Westerlund 2 is only about 2 million years old, and contains some of our galaxy's most massive, luminous, and young stars. This is a pretty amazing picture with the 2 images placed together and shown in 2 different forms of light.