A review of the W51 Cloud

TL;DR

This paper provides an observational review of the W51 cloud complex, highlighting its significance as a nearby laboratory for studying high-mass star formation and its unique features.

Contribution

It offers a comprehensive overview of W51's properties, including its protoclusters, interactions, and diverse protostellar sources, consolidating current observational knowledge.

Findings

W51 is the closest high-mass star-forming region at 5 kpc.

Contains a long infrared-dark cloud and interacts with a supernova remnant.

Hosts multiple massive protostellar sources.

Abstract

The W51 cloud complex is one of the best laboratories in our Galaxy to study high-mass star formation. At a distance of about 5 kpc, it is the closest region containing a high-mass protocluster, and it has two. The cloud includes a long infrared-dark cloud, is interacting with a supernova remnant, and contains a variety of unique massive protostellar sources. This article is an observational review of the region.