The region in this image, known as Vulpecula OB1, is situated 8,000 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula (Latin for 'little fox'). It is a 'stellar association' in which a batch of giant 'OB' stars is being born. O and B stars are the largest stars that can form. The stars at the heart of Vulpecula OB1 are some of the biggest in the galaxy. Containing dozens of times the mass of the sun, they have short lives, astronomically speaking, because they burn their fuel so quickly. At an estimated age of 2 million years, they are already well through their lifespans. When their fuel runs out, they will collapse and explode as supernovas. The vast quantities of ultraviolet light and other radiation emitted by these stars is compressing the surrounding cloud, causing nearby regions of dust and gas to begin the collapse into more new stars. The image was obtained as part of Herschel Space Observatory's Hi-GAL key-project. This used the infrared space observatory's instruments to image the entire galactic plane in five different infrared wavelengths. In visual wavelengths, the OB association is linked to a star cluster catalogued as NGC 6823. It was discovered by William Herschel in 1785 and contains 50 to 100 stars. A nebula emitting visible light, catalogued as NGC 6820, is also part of this multi-faceted star-forming region.