Hubble image shows Lupus 3 star-forming cloud in Scorpius

The NASA Hubble Space Telescope has imaged Lupus 3, a star-forming cloud about 500 light‑years away in the constellation Scorpius.

The image shows white wisps of gas swirling through the region and a dark dust cloud in the lower-left. Bright T Tauri stars are visible at the left, bottom right and upper center, and other young stellar objects dot the field.

T Tauri stars are in an active stage of formation in which the enveloping gas and dust dissipates from radiation and stellar winds or outflows. They are typically less than 10 million years old and vary in brightness both randomly and periodically; the source says random variations may stem from instabilities in the accretion disk, material from that disk falling onto the star, and flares, while periodic changes may be caused by giant sunspots rotating in and out of view.

Studying these stars can help astronomers better understand the star formation process. New images were added every day between January 12–17, 2026, and the release notes encourage following @NASAHubble on social media and viewing Hubble's Stellar Construction Zones for more images of young stellar objects.

Key Topics

Science, Scorpius, Hubble Space Telescope, T Tauri Stars, Young Stellar Objects, Star Formation