Highway to the danger zones Astronomers used data from NASAChandraXray and our now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope to show where some of the most treacherous places in a star cluster may be, where planets’ chances to form are diminished. The Chandra data (purple) shows the diffuse X-ray emission and young stars in this star cluster, Cygnus OB2. Infrared data from Spitzer (red, green, blue, and cyan) reveals more young stars and the cooler dust and gas throughout the region. In a crowded environment like this, there is a lot of high-energy radiation made by stars and planets. Together, X-rays and intense ultraviolet light can destroy planetary disks and systems in the process of forming. Image description: The Cygnus OB2 star cluster resembles a night sky blanketed in orange, purple, and gray clouds. The center of the square image is dominated by purple haze. This haze represents diffuse X-ray emissions, and young stars, detected by the Chandra X-ray Observatory. Surrounding the pur...