Taurus molecular cloud

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Taurus molecular cloud
Nebula
Herschel's view of the Taurus molecular cloud ESA384012.jpg
Taurus molecular cloud (Herschel Space Observatory)
Observation data: J2000.0 [1] epoch
Right ascension 04h 41.0m [1]
Declination +25° 52′ [1]
Distance430  ly    (140  pc)
Constellation Taurus
Notable featuresClose distance, numerous molecular species
DesignationsHCL 2, Heiles's cloud 2, TMC-1, Taurus molecular cloud 1 [1]
See also: Lists of nebulae
Emission nebulae behind molecular clouds in Perseus and Taurus.jpg
Taurus molecular cloud (green and blue) in front of HII regions (red) as seen by the Northern Sky Narrowband Survey. The Pleiades (bright green nebulae on the right side) appear to be connected in this image. Indeed, they lie at the same distance, making it likely that this object is related.
This video begins with a wide-field view of the sky, before zooming into the Taurus molecular cloud region, about 450 light-years from Earth. Dark clouds of cosmic dust grains obscure the background stars at visible wavelengths. The submillimetre-wavelength observations from the LABOCA camera on APEX reveal the heat glow of the dust grains, shown here in orange tones. The observations cover two regions in the cloud, which are known as Barnard 211 and Barnard 213. In them, newborn stars are hidden, and dense clouds of gas are on the verge of collapsing to form yet more stars.
This video pans over part of the Taurus molecular cloud region.

The Taurus molecular cloud (TMC-1) is an interstellar molecular cloud in the constellations Taurus and Auriga. It is only 140 pc (430 ly) away from Earth, making it possibly the nearest large star formation region. It hosts a stellar nursery containing hundreds of newly formed stars. [2] The Taurus molecular cloud was identified in the past as a part of the Gould Belt, a large structure surrounding the Solar System. More recently (January 2020) the Taurus molecular cloud was identified as being part of the much larger Radcliffe wave, a wave-shaped structure in the local arm of the Milky Way.

Contents

It has been important in star formation studies at all wavelengths of Electromagnetic spectrum. [3] The many young stars and the close proximity to Earth make it uniquely well-suited to search for protoplanetary disks and exoplanets around stars, and to identify brown dwarfs in the association. Members of this region are suited for direct imaging of young exoplanets, which glow brightly in infrared wavelengths.

Composition

The Taurus molecular clouds are notable because they contain many complex molecules, some of which are organic, and so far there have been over 100 different molecules including 75 main isotopic species, 20 carbon-13 substituted species, and seven deuterium-substituted species. [4] The number of molecular species discovered make it the most prolific source of interstellar molecular discoveries. There is a stark contrast of the populations of molecules between TMC-1 and protoplanetary disks around protostars. TMC-1 has many unsaturated hydrocarbons while the disk of protostars have oxygen-rich organics found in sublimated ices. [5]

Molecular that have been discovered in the Taurus molecular cloud includes Cyanopolyynes (HCnN for n = 3,5,7,9) [6] , cumulene carbenes (H2Cn for n = 3–6), [7] N-Chlorosuccinimide (NCS), Thioketenes (H2CCCS), [8] Tricarbon monosulfide (HC3S+), [9] Vinylacetylene (CH2CHCCH), allenyl acetylene, [10] Propionitrile (CH3CH2CN) [11] ethynyl cyclopropenylidene (1,2), [12] cyclopentadiene and indene. [13] The QUIJOTE survey have discovered several molecules such as cyanoacenaphthylene (3, 4), [14] ortho-benzyne (o-C6H4) [15] and fulvenallene. [16] In 2007 the polyatomic anion octatetraynyl radical was detected in TMC-1, making it the second type of anion to be found in the interstellar medium and the largest such molecule detected to date. [17] [18] 1-Butyne (CH3CH2CCH) was tentatively discovered. [11]

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The stars in the Taurus molecular cloud are newly formed having an age of only 1–2 million years. [19] The Taurus–Auriga association, which is the stellar association of the cloud, contains the variable star T Tauri, which is the prototype of T Tauri stars. [20] HH 30 is a protoplanetary disk seen edge-on located in TMC-1. [21]

Below is a list of members [20] [22] of the Taurus–Auriga association with a circumstellar disk or exoplanet:

Main dark nebulae of the Solar apex half of the galactic plane, with the Taurus molecular cloud at the left edge. Regioni celesti scelte - Osc A.png
Main dark nebulae of the Solar apex half of the galactic plane, with the Taurus molecular cloud at the left edge.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "TMC-1 – Molecular Cloud". SIMBAD . Retrieved 2014-03-14.
  2. ↑ Luhman, K. L.; Allen, P. R.; Espaillat, C.; Hartmann, L.; Calvet, N. (2010). "The Disk Population of the Taurus Star-Forming Region". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 186 (1): 111–174. arXiv: 0911.5457 . Bibcode:2010ApJS..186..111L. doi:10.1088/0067-0049/186/1/111. ISSN   0067-0049. S2CID   119189843.
  3. ↑ Guedel, M.; Briggs, K. R.; Arzner, K.; et al. (2007). "The XMM-Newton Extended Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud (XEST)". Astronomy and Astrophysics. 468 (2): 353–377. arXiv: astro-ph/0609160 . Bibcode:2007A&A...468..353G. doi:10.1051/0004-6361:20065724. S2CID   8846597.
  4. ↑ "Astronomical data collection of Taurus Molecular Cloud-1 reveals over 100 different molecules". MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology. 2025-10-27. Retrieved 2026-01-10.
  5. ↑ Xue, Ci; Byrne, Alex N.; Morgan, Larry; Wenzel, Gabi; Changala, P. Bryan; Fried, Zachary T. P.; Loomis, Ryan A.; Remijan, Anthony; Bergin, Edwin A.; Cooke, Ilsa R.; Frayer, David; Burkhardt, Andrew M.; Charnley, Steven B.; Cordiner, Martin A.; Lipnicky, Andrew (2025-10-23). "The Molecular Inventory of TMC-1 with GOTHAM Observations". The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 281 (1): 9. arXiv: 2509.06256 . Bibcode:2025ApJS..281....9X. doi: 10.3847/1538-4365/ae04e5 . ISSN   0067-0049.
  6. ↑ Freeman, A.; Millar, T. J. (1983). "Formation of complex molecules in TMC-1". Nature. 301 (5899): 402–404. Bibcode:1983Natur.301..402F. doi:10.1038/301402a0. ISSN   0028-0836. S2CID   26107828.
  7. ↑ Cabezas, C.; Tercero, B.; Agúndez, M.; et al. (2021). "Cumulene carbenes in TMC-1: Astronomical discovery of l-H2C5". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 650: L9. arXiv: 2106.00635 . Bibcode:2021A&A...650L...9C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202141274. ISSN   0004-6361. PMC   7611420 . PMID   34334798.
  8. ↑ Cernicharo, J.; Cabezas, C.; Agúndez, M.; Tercero, B.; Pardo, J. R.; Marcelino, N.; Gallego, J. D.; Tercero, F.; López-Pérez, J. A.; Vicente, P. de (2021-04-01). "TMC-1, the starless core sulfur factory: Discovery of NCS, HCCS, H2CCS, H2CCCS, and C4S and detection of C5S". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 648: L3. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202140642. ISSN   0004-6361. PMC   7610586 . PMID   33850333.
  9. ↑ Cernicharo, J.; Cabezas, C.; Endo, Y.; Marcelino, N.; Agúndez, M.; Tercero, B.; Gallego, J. D.; Vicente, P. de (2021-02-01). "Space and laboratory discovery of HC3S+". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 646: L3. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202040013. ISSN   0004-6361. PMC   7610522 . PMID   33824540.
  10. ↑ Cernicharo, J.; Cabezas, C.; Agúndez, M.; Tercero, B.; Marcelino, N.; Pardo, J. R.; Tercero, F.; Gallego, J. D.; López-Pérez, J. A.; deVicente, P. (2021-03-01). "Discovery of allenyl acetylene, H2CCCHCCH, in TMC-1 - A study of the isomers of C5H4". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 647: L3. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202140482. ISSN   0004-6361. PMC   7610584 . PMID   33850332.
  11. 1 2 Cernicharo, J.; Agúndez, M.; Cabezas, C.; Marcelino, N.; Tercero, B.; Pardo, J. R.; Gallego, J. D.; Tercero, F.; López-Pérez, J. A.; Vicente, P. de (2021-03-01). "Discovery of CH2CHCCH and detection of HCCN, HC4N, CH3CH2CN, and, tentatively, CH3CH2CCH in TMC-1". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 647: L2. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202140434. ISSN   0004-6361. PMC   7610549 . PMID   33833468.
  12. ↑ Cernicharo, J.; Agúndez, M.; Kaiser, R. I.; Cabezas, C.; Tercero, B.; Marcelino, N.; Pardo, J. R.; Vicente, P. de (2021-11-01). "Discovery of two isomers of ethynyl cyclopentadiene in TMC-1: Abundances of CCH and CN derivatives of hydrocarbon cycles". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 655: L1. arXiv: 2110.09105 . Bibcode:2021A&A...655L...1C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202142226. ISSN   0004-6361.
  13. ↑ Cernicharo, J.; Agúndez, M.; Cabezas, C.; Tercero, B.; Marcelino, N.; Pardo, J. R.; Vicente, P. de (2021-05-01). "Pure hydrocarbon cycles in TMC-1: Discovery of ethynyl cyclopropenylidene, cyclopentadiene, and indene". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 649: L15. arXiv: 2104.13991 . Bibcode:2021A&A...649L..15C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202141156. ISSN   0004-6361. PMC   7611194 . PMID   34257463.
  14. ↑ Cernicharo, J.; Tercero, B.; Marcelino, N.; López-Pérez, J. A.; Gallego, J. D.; Tercero, F.; Esplugues, G.; Cabezas, C.; Agúndez, M.; Limeres, C.; Steber, A. L.; Pérez, D.; Pérez, C.; Lesarri, A.; Vicente, P. de (2026-01-01). "Discovery of two new isomers of cyanoacenaphthylene (C12H7CN) in the Taurus molecular cloud 1 with the QUIJOTE line survey". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 705: L7. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202557893. ISSN   0004-6361.
  15. ↑ Cernicharo, J.; Agúndez, M.; Kaiser, R. I.; Cabezas, C.; Tercero, B.; Marcelino, N.; Pardo, J. R.; Vicente, P. de (2021-08-01). "Discovery of benzyne, o-C6H4, in TMC-1 with the QUIJOTE line survey". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 652: L9. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202141660. ISSN   0004-6361.
  16. ↑ Cernicharo, J.; Fuentetaja, R.; Agúndez, M.; Kaiser, R. I.; Cabezas, C.; Marcelino, N.; Tercero, B.; Pardo, J. R.; Vicente, P. de (2022-07-01). "Discovery of fulvenallene in TMC-1 with the QUIJOTE line survey". Astronomy & Astrophysics. 663: L9. arXiv: 2207.09369 . Bibcode:2022A&A...663L...9C. doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202244399. ISSN   0004-6361.
  17. ↑ Remijan, Anthony J.; J. M. Hollis; F. J. Lovas; M. A. Cordiner; T. J. Millar; A. J. Markwick-Kemper; P. R. Jewell (July 20, 2007). "Detection of C8H− and Comparison with C8H toward IRC +10 216". The Astrophysical Journal. 664 (1): L47 –L50. Bibcode:2007ApJ...664L..47R. doi: 10.1086/520704 .
  18. ↑ Brünken, S.; H. Gupta; C. A. Gottlieb; M. C. McCarthy; P. Thaddeus (July 20, 2007). "Detection of the Carbon Chain Negative Ion C8H− in TMC-1". The Astrophysical Journal. 664 (1): L43 –L46. Bibcode:2007ApJ...664L..43B. doi:10.1086/520703. S2CID   120912943.
  19. ↑ Kenyon, Scott J.; Hartmann, Lee (November 1995). "Pre-Main-Sequence Evolution in the Taurus–Auriga Molecular Cloud". Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 101: 117. Bibcode:1995ApJS..101..117K. doi:10.1086/192235. ISSN   0067-0049.
  20. 1 2 Gagné, Jonathan; Mamajek, Eric E.; Malo, Lison; Riedel, Adric; Rodriguez, David; Lafrenière, David; Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Roy-Loubier, Olivier; Pueyo, Laurent; Robin, Annie C.; Doyon, René (March 2018). "BANYAN. XI. The BANYAN Σ Multivariate Bayesian Algorithm to Identify Members of Young Associations with 150 pc". Astrophysical Journal. 856 (1): 23. arXiv: 1801.09051 . Bibcode:2018ApJ...856...23G. doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/aaae09 . ISSN   0004-637X.
  21. ↑ Tazaki, Ryo; Ménard, François; Duchêne, Gaspard; Villenave, Marion; Ribas, Álvaro; Stapelfeldt, Karl R.; Perrin, Marshall D.; Pinte, Christophe; Wolff, Schuyler G. (2025-01-10), "JWST Imaging of Edge-on Protoplanetary Disks. IV. Mid-infrared Dust Scattering in the HH 30 disk", The Astrophysical Journal, 980 (1): 49, arXiv: 2412.07523 , Bibcode:2025ApJ...980...49T, doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad9c6f
  22. ↑ Kwon, Woojin; Looney, Leslie W.; Mundy, Lee G. (October 2011). "Resolving the Circumstellar Disk of Hl Tauri at Millimeter Wavelengths". The Astrophysical Journal. 741 (1): 3. arXiv: 1107.5275 . Bibcode:2011ApJ...741....3K. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/741/1/3. ISSN   0004-637X. S2CID   118525138.
  23. ↑ "V1298 Tau". exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu. Retrieved 2020-02-21.
  24. ↑ David, Trevor J.; Petigura, Erik A.; Luger, Rodrigo; Foreman-Mackey, Daniel; Livingston, John H.; Mamajek, Eric E.; Hillenbrand, Lynne A. (November 2019). "Four Newborn Planets Transiting the Young Solar Analog V1298 Tau". Astrophysical Journal Letters. 885 (1): L12. arXiv: 1910.04563 . Bibcode:2019ApJ...885L..12D. doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ab4c99 . ISSN   0004-637X. S2CID   204008446.
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