The long filaments of gas and dust have scientists naming this formation Tarantula Nebula.
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In this mosaic image stretching 340 light-years across,
Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) displays the Tarantula Nebula star-forming
region in a new light, including tens of thousands of never-before-seen young
stars that were previously shrouded in cosmic dust. The most active region appears
to sparkle with massive young stars, appearing pale blue. |
Out in the universe, a story of creation unfolds. Thousands
of never-seen-before young stars in a Nebula called 30 Doradus had images taken
by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the agency announced Tuesday.
The form of the Nebula in the past had earned it the
nickname the Tarantula Nebula, due to its long filaments of gas and dust
radiating from its central ring, called a crater, reminiscent of spider legs.
The 30 Doradus has long been a known Nebula and has been a go-to favorite of
astronomers studying young star formations. Webb also reveals background
galaxies, as well as detailed images of the nebula’s dust and gas structure and
composition.
The Tarantula Nebula, as far as proximity goes, is only a
mere 161,000 light years away located within the Large Magellanic galaxy. That
galaxy is the largest and brightest star-forming region in the Local Group, the
name given to a collection of galaxies that are closest to our Milky Way.
The Magellanic Cloud galaxy is known to have the hottest and
most massive stars studied so far by humanity. Astronomers focused three of
Webb’s high-resolution infrared instruments on the Tarantula Nebula. When
viewed with the NIRCam, the (Near-Infrared Camera) the Tarantula analogy is
correct, showing a region similar to a burrowing Tarantula’s home, with silky
web lining the structure. The nebula’s cavity has been hollowed out by the
blistering radiation of massive young stars clustered together. In the NIRCam images
the stars sparkle with the palest of blue colors.
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At the longer wavelengths of light captured by its Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), Webb focuses on the area surrounding the central star cluster and unveils a very different view of the Tarantula Nebula. In this light, the young hot stars of the cluster fade in brilliance, and glowing gas and dust come forward. Abundant hydrocarbons light up the surfaces of the dust clouds, shown in blue and purple.
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Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Webb ERO Production Team |
Webb’s NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) caught an
emerging star, being released from the pillar of radiation and the bubble
cocoon of dust, they form in. Scientists had thought it was an older star, but
the NIRSpec revealed a much younger formation, just emerging from its pillar.
Reference: NASA
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