AE Aurigae: The Flaming Star

Is star AE Aurigae on fire? Although surrounded by what may look like smoke , the object known as the “flaming star” creates energy primarily by nuclear fusion , like other stars. Fire , typically defined as the rapid molecular acquisition of oxygen , happens only when sufficient oxygen is present and is not important in such high-energy, low-oxygen environments such as stars. The material that appears as smoke is mostly interstellar hydrogen , but does contain smoke-like dark filaments of carbon-rich dust grains . The AE Aurigae region was imaged by the KPNO 0.9-meter telescope and is shown above in false but representative colors. The star AE Aurigae itself is very bright, young, blue, and known as a runaway star since it appears to have been ejected from the Orion Nebula region about 2.7 million years ago.