Gum 20 is part of the Vela Molecular Ridge, a complex of giant molecular cloud system located at 700-1000 away parsecs (2300-3300 light-years) from Earth; the cloud C of this complex is associated with the Gum 20 nebula.

Inside the nebula there are active star formation phenomena, caused, according to some dynamic models, from the clash between two smaller molecular clouds located inside the large cloud. The existence of such phenomena in Gum 20 is evidenced by the presence of a young cluster completely obscured by gas and visible-infrared; this object is cataloged with the abbreviation RCW 36 IR and is formed by over 350 stellar components concentrated within just over 1 'in diameter, equivalent to just 1.5 parsecs. It is one of the most concentrated clusters open in training that you will know within a radius of 1,000 parsecs from the Sun; among its components there are several massive stars, concentrated mostly in the center of the cluster, which then presents mass segregation. The estimated age for this item is about 2-3 million years. Among his most massive and luminous components there are two, located toward the center, which were considered the most likely sources of electric arc entire nebula.

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