NASA/IPAC Teacher Archive Research Program (NITARP)

PROGRAM INFORMATION + Home Page + Program News + Round 1 + Round 2 + Round 3 + Round 4 + Round 5 + Round 6 + (All programs) + Accomplishments + Educational Products + AAS Posters & Photos + Press Coverage + Visiting the SSC + Policies and Procedures CURRENT TEAMS + Round 6 Other EPO programs using real data

Round 3 - Star Formation in Lynds Dark Nebulae Abstract Recent research on star formation in large molecular cloud complexes, such as the Cepheus Flare (Kun 1995), Orion, Perseus (Rebull et al. 2007), and Taurus molecular clouds, have included studies of a number of Lynds dark nebulae (LDN). Less attention has been given to isolated Lynds clouds. Both LDN 981 and LDN 425 are smaller, more isolated, dark molecular clouds that could contain regions of active star formation within them -- they both are associated with IRAS sources, and based on prior shallow surveys, they both have a YSO candidate in the neigborhood. Spitzer observations with IRAC and MIPS will allow us to see deep inside the cloud, deeper than any prior observations could see, and reveal any hidden star formation that is ongoing in these clouds. This project is part of the Spitzer Teachers Program. Click on any teacher's name to see activities associated with NITARP. Lead Teacher: Tim Spuck Oil City Area High School, Oil City, PA Participating Teachers: Cris DeWolf Chippewa Hills High School, Remus, MI Peter Guastella Manhasset High School, Manhasset, NY Chelen H. Johnson Breck School, Minneapolis, MN David W. McDonald Sidney High School, Sidney, MT John Schaefers Ingomar Middle School, Pittsburgh, PA Support Scientist: Dr. Luisa Rebull Spitzer Science Center, Caltech, Pasadena, CA Project News Proposal (pdf) science poster (pdf) education poster 1 (pdf) education poster 2 (pdf)

Funding for NITARP comes from the NASA ADP program and NASA/Archive EPO program.

Questions? E-mail nitarp -- at -- ipac DOT caltech DOT edu