The birth of a monster star seen at different wavelengths of light

This composite shows the region around the massive star-forming region SDC 335.579-0.292 seen using NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope and ALMA. The Spitzer view is at infrared wavelengths (3.6, 4.5 and 8.0 microns) and the ALMA view is at wavelengths around three millimetres. The yellow blob at the centre of the ALMA images is a stellar womb with over 500 times the mass than the Sun — the largest ever seen in the Milky Way. The embryonic star within is hungrily feeding on the material that is racing inwards. It is expected to give birth to a very brilliant star with up to 100 times the mass of the Sun.