Huge cavity in space sheds new light on how stars form

Researchers believe the cavity was formed by an ancient supernovae – explosion of stars – that went off some 10 million years ago

The discovery was made by astronomers analysing 3D maps of the shapes and sizes of nearby molecular clouds. Picture: Alyssa Goodman/Centre for Astrophysics/Harvard & Smithsonian/PA

Astronomers have discovered a “gigantic cavity” in space, shedding light on how stars form.

The sphere-shaped void spans about 150 parsecs – nearly 500 light years – and is located among the Perseus and Taurus constellations.