A cosmic caterpillar was spotted by astronomers in the middle of metamorphosis.
The protostar is approximately 4,500 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Cygnus, according to Discovery News.
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Astronomers were able to spot IRAS 20324+4057 by using the Hubble Advanced Camera.
The glowing white part of the caterpillar shape is the core of the protostar, according to the Los Angeles Times. This is where astronomers believe the nuclear process has started, which allows the collection of plasma, dust, and gas to "shine with its own light," according to Zolt Levay of the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.
During normal star production, the core of the star would be seen surrounded by a sphere of dust and gas that is pulled into it through gravity.
What is seen in the Hubble image is not a normal star formation.
The bright stars seen on the right of the image taken are O-type behemoths, which produce "strong stellar winds and powerful radiation pressure" according to Discovery News.
The star is seen in the photo trying to emerge right in the middle of the winds and radiation.
"The collection of stars in this region, known as the Cygnus OB2 association, is a rough neighborhood for a star to be born," said Discovery News about the cloud.
Stars in this location can be one to 10 times the size of our sun, but if the caterpillar star can't beat the stellar wind, it could be smaller than most nearby stars, according to a Hubble spokesperson.
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