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| An image taken by the Webb Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument shows warm dust and gas glowing in Sagittarius B2, with stars appearing as blue pinpoints and a red area in the center showing the most active part of the region. / Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Adam Ginsburg (University of Florida), Nazar Budaiev (University of Florida), Taehwa Yoo (University of Florida); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI) | More |
The observations are providing astronomers with a wealth of new data, helping to answer long-standing questions about how stars are born in the extreme environment near the heart of the Milky Way, while also uncovering new mysteries to explore.
A Star-Forming Factory Near the Galactic Heart
The telescope is studying Sagittarius B2, a giant molecular cloud located just a few hundred light-years from Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole at the center of our galaxy. This region is a true cosmic factory. According to NASA, while it contains only 10% of the gas found in the galactic center, it is responsible for an astonishing 50% of all its star formation.
Studded with young stars, dense stellar cocoons, and complex magnetic fields, Sagittarius B2 is one of the most molecule-rich areas known to science. However, its intense activity is shrouded by thick clouds of gas and dust, making it invisible to visible-light telescopes. This is where the James Webb Space Telescope excels. Its powerful infrared instruments can pierce through this cosmic veil, allowing scientists to study the processes unfolding within.
Two Infrared Views, One Cosmic Masterpiece
Using two of its primary instruments, Webb has captured two distinct yet complementary views of this tumultuous region.
The MIRI View: An image from Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) reveals the intricate structures of gas and dust in a portion of the cloud known as Sagittarius B2 North with "unprecedented detail." In this ghostly landscape, the vast, glowing clouds dominate the view, while newly formed stars appear as tiny blue dots punching through the dense material that surrounds them.
The NIRCam View: Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) paints a completely different and far more colorful portrait. In this image, countless stars are revealed, their brilliant light illuminating the clouds of gas and dust, creating a luminous, multi-hued cosmic landscape. Astronomers will now study these stars in detail to determine their sizes and ages, which will provide crucial information for understanding the timeline of star formation in Sagittarius B2.
New Images, Deeper Mysteries
While the new images have revealed much, they have also deepened the mystery of the galactic center. NASA noted that some areas within Sagittarius B2 appear dark and empty, even to Webb's powerful eyes. These regions are, in fact, "so dense with gas and dust that not even Webb can see through." These opaque clouds are the "cocoons" for protostars—the very earliest stages of stellar birth—and will eventually collapse to form the next generation of stars.
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Researchers also hope that Webb's data can help them solve a major paradox: why is the overall rate of star formation in the center of the Milky Way so surprisingly low, despite the presence of such a hyperactive region like Sagittarius B2?
"Humans have been studying the stars for thousands of years, and there is still so much to understand," said Nazar Budaiev, a graduate student at the University of Florida and a co-lead author of the study. "For everything new that Webb shows us, there are also new mysteries to explore, and it's exciting to be a part of that ongoing discovery process."
