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NGC 7129 Side-by-Side (Spitzer and Webb Image)

Two images appear side by side. The left is labeled “Spitzer” and the right “Webb.” The Spitzer image, which is fuzzier and less detailed, shows two regions separated by a bright central object, a star. To the left of the star, there is a region filled with red dust and gas that extends from the star to the left border of the image. The red region extends from the bottom, covering about two-thirds of the image. To the right of the star is a large, irregular green blob. The Webb image shows the same two regions at both sides of a central star, but at a higher resolution. The left region is filled with stars and yellow dust and gas that extends from the star to the left border of the image. This yellow region extends from the bottom, covering about two-thirds of the image. The top left of the image holds a few bright protostars, within dense gray gas. To the right of the central star, there is a clumpy plume of red dust and gas, which is surrounded by more dense gray gas and dust.

NASA’s retired Spitzer Space Telescope observed the hot gas and dust within NGC 7129, managing to identify numerous protostars within the dense material. However, resolving certain details, like the impact of those protostars on their surroundings, proved to be difficult. 

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope adds to Spitzer’s observation, showing bow shocks, stars, and protostars within the golden cavity and the effects of protostar outflows in the dense red clouds. Webb’s sensitivity also picks up the faint infrared emissions of the cold, gray gas where protostars have yet to form and many distant background galaxies. 

About the Object

  • R.A. Position
    R.A. PositionRight ascension – analogous to longitude – is one component of an object's position.
    21:43:05.02
  • Dec. Position
    Dec. PositionDeclination – analogous to latitude – is one component of an object's position.
    +66:06:45.83
  • Constellation
    ConstellationOne of 88 recognized regions of the celestial sphere in which the object appears.
    Cepheus
  • Distance
    DistanceThe physical distance from Earth to the astronomical object. Distances within our solar system are usually measured in Astronomical Units (AU). Distances between stars are usually measured in light-years. Interstellar distances can also be measured in parsecs.
    About 3,300 light-years away
  • Dimensions
    DimensionsThe physical size of the object or the apparent angle it subtends on the sky.
    This image is about 6 arcminutes (5.7 light-years) across

About the Data

  • Data Description
    Data DescriptionProposal: A description of the observations, their scientific justification, and the links to the data available in the science archive.
    Science Team: The astronomers who planned the observations and analyzed the data. "PI" refers to the Principal Investigator.

    This image was created with Webb data from proposal: 12491 (M. Garcia Marin).

  • Instrument
    InstrumentThe science instrument used to produce the data.
    Webb>NIRCam Spitzer> IRAC
  • Exposure Dates
    Exposure DatesThe date(s) that the telescope made its observations and the total exposure time.
    17 Dec 2025
  • Filters
    FiltersThe camera filters that were used in the science observations.
    Webb> F115W, F187N, F200W, F335M, F444W, F470N Spitzer> IRAC1 (3.6 microns), IRAC2 (4.5 microns), IRAC3 (5.8 microns), IRAC4 (8 microns)
  • Object Name
    Object NameA name or catalog number that astronomers use to identify an astronomical object.
    NGC 7129
  • Object Description
    Object DescriptionThe type of astronomical object.
    Star-forming region with protostellar jets
  • Release Date
    October 6, 2026
  • Science Release
    NASA’s Webb Captures Commotion From Nebula’s Stellar Jets
    Read the release
  • Credit
    Image: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, NASA-JPL; Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

Downloads

  • Full Res (For Print), 23916 × 11156
    tif (763.43 MB)
  • Full Res (For Display), 23916 × 11156
    png (233.1 MB)
  • 23916 × 11156
    jpg (52.41 MB)
  • 2000 × 933
    jpg (645.93 KB)
Two images appear side by side. The left is labeled “Spitzer” and the right “Webb.” The Spitzer image, which is fuzzier and less detailed, shows two regions separated by a bright central object, a star. To the left of the star, there is a region filled with red dust and gas that extends from the star to the left border of the image. The red region extends from the bottom, covering about two-thirds of the image. To the right of the star is a large, irregular green blob. The Webb image shows the same two regions at both sides of a central star, but at a higher resolution. The left region is filled with stars and yellow dust and gas that extends from the star to the left border of the image. This yellow region extends from the bottom, covering about two-thirds of the image. The top left of the image holds a few bright protostars, within dense gray gas. To the right of the central star, there is a clumpy plume of red dust and gas, which is surrounded by more dense gray gas and dust.
Color Info
Color InfoA brief description of the methods used to convert telescope data into the color image being presented.

Left> These images were acquired by the Spitzer Space Telescope. Several filters were used to sample varying wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are: Blue= IRAC1, Green= IRAC2, Orange= IRAC3, Red= IRAC4 Right> These images were acquired by the NIRCam instrument on the Webb Space Telescope. Several filters were used to sample varying wavelength ranges. The color results from assigning different hues (colors) to each monochromatic (grayscale) image associated with an individual filter. In this case, the assigned colors are: Blue= F115W, F187N Cyan= F200W, Yellow= F335M, Red= F444W, F470N

Related Images & Videos

A young star cluster filled with many stars that display Webb’s unique eight-pronged diffraction pattern. At its center is a yellow star that sports the largest diffraction pattern. To its left, there is a region filled with yellow dust and gas that extends from the star to the left and the bottom, covering about two-thirds of the frame. The yellow region has several embedded blue stars of different sizes. The top third, which lies outside the yellow region, has a few bright protostars, within dense gray gas. These stars illuminate the gas, making it appear blue. A few red outflows from other protostars are visible above this grayish-blue region. To the right of the central star, there is a clumpy, flame-like plume of red dust and gas with protostars that emit a soft white light within. The plume is surrounded by more dense gray gas and dust. It is about one third the size of the yellow region. There are several background galaxies strewn throughout.

NGC 7129 (NIRCam Image)

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed many protostars and stars within the glowing gases of NGC 7129. Hot, atomic hydrogen gas is shown here in the golden region, while cooler, molecular hydrogen gas, shocked by embedded protostars, is represented in red.

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Details

Last Updated
Oct 06, 2026
Location
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Contact
Media

Laura Betz
NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center
Greenbelt, Maryland
laura.e.betz@nasa.gov

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