HII region

/ āch′to̅o̅′ /

A cloudlike region in space where the interstellar medium consists of ionized rather than neutral hydrogen. HII regions are centered around stars with very high surface temperatures and brilliant luminosities, whose radiant energy is sufficient to heat the interstellar medium to the point that hydrogen is ionized. The most conspicuous and best-known HII region is the Orion Nebula.

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April 23, 2024inveterate

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