Taurus molecular cloud explained

Type:	giant molecular cloud
Taurus molecular cloud
Constellation:	Taurus
Epoch:	J2000.0^[1]
Names:	HCL 2,, TMC-1,

The Taurus molecular cloud (TMC-1) is an interstellar molecular cloud in the constellations Taurus and Auriga. This cloud hosts a stellar nursery containing hundreds of newly formed stars.^[2] The Taurus molecular cloud is only 140 pc (430 ly) away from Earth, making it possibly the nearest large star formation region. It has been important in star formation studies at all wavelengths.^[3]

It is notable for containing many complex molecules, such as cyanopolyynes HC_nN for n = 3,5,7,9,^[4] and cumulene carbenes for n = 3–6.^[5]

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.

The newly formed stars in this cloud have an age of 1–2 million years.^[6] 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.^[7] 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.

Members^[8] of the Taurus–Auriga association with a circumstellar disk or exoplanet:

• HL Tauri – directly imaged disk with impressive details
• SU Aurigae – circumstellar disk
• AB Aurigae – circumstellar disk and hints of an exoplanet
• CI Tauri – directly imaged circumstellar disk, one confirmed exoplanet and hints of additional exoplanets
• V830 Tauri – circumstellar disk and one exoplanet V830 Tauri b
• LkCa 15 – directly imaged circumstellar disk and one possible directly imaged exoplanet LkCa 15 b
• GG Tauri – circumstellar disk
• UX Tauri – circumstellar disk
• DH Tauri – exoplanet DH Tauri b
• DG Tauri B – circumstellar disk associated with jets
• 2M0437b – directly imaged exoplanet
• V1298 Tauri – four confirmed transiting exoplanets^{[9] [10]}

See also

• Orion molecular cloud complex
• Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex
• Perseus molecular cloud
• Cygnus X
• List of nearby stellar associations and moving groups

Notes and References

1. Web site: TMC-1 – Molecular Cloud . . 2014-03-14 .
2. Luhman. K. L.. Allen. P. R.. Espaillat. C.. Catherine Espaillat. Hartmann. L.. Calvet. N.. Nuria Calvet. The Disk Population of the Taurus Star-Forming Region. The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 186. 1. 2010. 111–174. 0067-0049. 10.1088/0067-0049/186/1/111. 0911.5457. 2010ApJS..186..111L. 119189843.
3. etal . Guedel, M.. Briggs, K. R.. Arzner, K.. The XMM-Newton Extended Survey of the Taurus Molecular Cloud (XEST). Astronomy and Astrophysics . 468 . 2 . 353–377 . 10.1051/0004-6361:20065724 . 2007 . astro-ph/0609160 . 2007A&A...468..353G . 8846597.
4. Freeman . A. . Millar . T. J. . Formation of complex molecules in TMC-1 . Nature . 301 . 5899 . 1983 . 0028-0836 . 10.1038/301402a0 . 402–404. 1983Natur.301..402F . 26107828 .
5. Cabezas . C. . Tercero . B. . Agúndez . M. . etal . Cumulene carbenes in TMC-1: Astronomical discovery of l-H₂C₅ . Astronomy & Astrophysics . 650 . 2021 . 0004-6361 . 10.1051/0004-6361/202141274 . L9. 34334798 . 7611420 . 2106.00635 . 2021A&A...650L...9C .
6. Kenyon. Scott J.. Hartmann. Lee. November 1995. Pre-Main-Sequence Evolution in the Taurus–Auriga Molecular Cloud. Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. en. 101. 117. 10.1086/192235. 1995ApJS..101..117K. 0067-0049.
7. Gagné. Jonathan. Mamajek. Eric E.. Malo. Lison. Riedel. Adric. Rodriguez. David. Lafrenière. David. Faherty. Jacqueline K.. Jackie Faherty. 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. en. 856. 1. 23. 10.3847/1538-4357/aaae09. 1801.09051. 2018ApJ...856...23G. 0004-637X. free.
8. Kwon. Woojin. Looney. Leslie W.. Mundy. Lee G.. Resolving the Circumstellar Disk of Hl Tauri at Millimeter Wavelengths. October 2011. The Astrophysical Journal. en. 741. 1. 3. 10.1088/0004-637X/741/1/3. 1107.5275. 2011ApJ...741....3K. 118525138. 0004-637X.
9. Web site: V1298 Tau. exoplanetarchive.ipac.caltech.edu. 2020-02-21.
10. 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. en. 885. 1. L12. 10.3847/2041-8213/ab4c99. 1910.04563. 2019ApJ...885L..12D. 204008446. 0004-637X . free .