An incredible image from the James Webb Space Telescope is providing new clues about how stars come into existence.
The awe-inspiring snap shows protostar HH 212, located about 1,300 light-years from Earth.
HH 212 was first discovered back in 1993, near the Belt of Orion, and astronomers have spent the past three decades taking images in order to uncover how the budding star is slowly forming.
However, according to Mark McCaughrean, a senior advisor at the European Space Agency, this is the “first-time” scientists have seen a “good color image” of the protostar, which has not previously been possible with ground telescopes.
The newly obtained image offers a wealth of information on the process of star formation, highlighting the intricate details involved. It showcases the presence of symmetrical pink plumes of gas emissions emerging from both poles of the protostar.
Thomas McCaughrean, an expert in the field, explains that these striking neon bursts, referred to as jets or outflows, are essentially a natural consequence of the star’s birth. The vivid pink coloration of these plumes indicates the presence of molecular hydrogen. An incredible image
He further elaborates, “As the central mass of gaseous material compacts down, it starts to rotate. However, if it spins too rapidly, it risks disintegrating. So, something needs to dissipate this angular momentum, and we believe these jets and outflows serve that purpose.”
According to the BBC, the celestial scene captured by the telescope provides us with a glimpse of what the early stages of our own sun’s formation might have resembled.