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Taurus molecular cloud
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<a href="/facts/Celestial_coordinate_system/23HhqvHj">Coordinates</a>: <a href="http://www.wikisky.org/?ra=4.6833333333333&de=25.866666666667&zoom=4&show_grid=1&show_constellation_lines=1&show_constellation_boundaries=1&show_const_names=1&show_galaxies=1&img_source=IMG_all">04h 41m 00s, +25° 52′ 00″</a> <p>The Taurus molecular cloud (TMC-1) is an interstellar <a href="/facts/Molecular_cloud/5jEwCJxs">molecular cloud</a> in the constellations <a href="/facts/Taurus_(constellation)/Vd3R88wb">Taurus</a> and <a href="/facts/Auriga_(constellation)/dDDxtEJx">Auriga</a>. This cloud hosts a <a href="/facts/Star_formation/SMyfVDY6">stellar nursery</a> containing hundreds of newly formed stars. The Taurus molecular cloud is only 140 <a href="/facts/Parsec/SwSsk57J">pc</a> (430 <a href="/facts/Light_year/IGc5NdQb">ly</a>) away from Earth, making it possibly the nearest large <a href="/facts/List_of_star-forming_regions_in_the_Local_Group/Gp8UKFxp">star formation region</a>. It has been important in star formation studies at all wavelengths of <a href="/facts/Electromagnetic_radiation/Ynx7ujCW">Electromagnetic spectrum</a>. </p><p>It is notable for containing many complex molecules, such as <a href="/facts/Cyanopolyyne/4aVaW5cB">cyanopolyynes</a> HC<i>n</i>N for <i>n</i> = 3,5,7,9, and <a href="/facts/Cumulene/UtxYSvxN">cumulene</a> <a href="/facts/Carbene/3WxNSStY">carbenes</a> H2C<i>n</i> for <i>n</i> = 3–6. In 2007 the polyatomic <a href="/facts/Anion/wrbwhF3z">anion</a> <a href="/facts/Octatetraynyl_radical/arDgpsal">octatetraynyl radical</a> 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. </p><p>The Taurus molecular cloud was identified in the past as a part of the <a href="/facts/Gould_Belt/M9xoWDyR">Gould Belt</a>, a large structure surrounding the <a href="/facts/Solar_System/QIcLSazQ">Solar System</a>. More recently (January 2020) the Taurus molecular cloud was identified as being part of the much larger <a href="/facts/Radcliffe_wave/kpW2ICUL">Radcliffe wave</a>, a wave-shaped structure in the <a href="/facts/Orion_Arm/Vo4Clzk5">local arm</a> of the <a href="/facts/Milky_Way/ulF6lccN">Milky Way</a>. </p><p>The newly formed stars in this cloud have an age of 1–2 million years. The Taurus–Auriga association, which is the <a href="/facts/Stellar_association/urBqjfYg">stellar association</a> of the cloud, contains the variable star <a href="/facts/T_Tauri/7Vxb0KW8">T Tauri</a>, which is the prototype of <a href="/facts/T_Tauri_star/vX5WL56u">T Tauri stars</a>. The many young stars and the close proximity to Earth make it uniquely well-suited to search for <a href="/facts/Protoplanetary_disk/FtfSbP61">protoplanetary disks</a> and <a href="/facts/Exoplanet/zjfmqfUf">exoplanets</a> around stars, and to identify <a href="/facts/Brown_dwarf/fa7kr9lH">brown dwarfs</a> in the association. Members of this region are suited for <a href="/facts/Direct_imaging/vFIblQe9">direct imaging</a> of young exoplanets, which glow brightly in <a href="/facts/Infrared/44XdJNcc">infrared</a> wavelengths. </p><p>Members of the Taurus–Auriga association with a circumstellar disk or exoplanet: </p> <ul><li><a href="/facts/HL_Tauri/VzYUungE">HL Tauri</a> – directly imaged disk with impressive details</li> <li><a href="/facts/SU_Aurigae/qF9Ngmm3">SU Aurigae</a> – circumstellar disk</li> <li><a href="/facts/AB_Aurigae/jAbWDKrY">AB Aurigae</a> – circumstellar disk and hints of an exoplanet</li> <li><a href="/facts/CI_Tauri/WMYfgYhS">CI Tauri</a> – directly imaged circumstellar disk, one confirmed exoplanet and hints of additional exoplanets</li> <li><a href="/facts/V830_Tauri/u3eLNxxx">V830 Tauri</a> – circumstellar disk and one exoplanet <a href="/facts/V830_Tauri_b/Yuq8mEfg">V830 Tauri b</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/LkCa_15/QlqcK1hW">LkCa 15</a> – directly imaged circumstellar disk and one possible directly imaged exoplanet <a href="/facts/LkCa_15_b/H0zR0kgv">LkCa 15 b</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/GG_Tauri/Y7CrP7o1">GG Tauri</a> – circumstellar disk</li> <li><a href="/facts/UX_Tauri/LzVDCIbB">UX Tauri</a> – circumstellar disk</li> <li><a href="/facts/2MASS_J04202144%2B2813491/37y70HA7">2MASS J04202144+2813491</a> – directly imaged disk, jets and disk wind</li> <li><a href="/facts/DH_Tauri/m3RBQ6Sv">DH Tauri</a> – exoplanet <a href="/facts/DH_Tauri_b/m3RBQ6Sv">DH Tauri b</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/DG_Tauri_B/b03CE7cz">DG Tauri B</a> – circumstellar disk associated with jets</li> <li><a href="/facts/2M0437_b/dFnoQKXG">2M0437b</a> – directly imaged exoplanet</li> <li><a href="/facts/V1298_Tauri/Yd2Evd3j">V1298 Tauri</a> – four confirmed <a href="/facts/Methods_of_detecting_exoplanets/vFIblQe9">transiting</a> exoplanets</li></ul>