Webb Reveals the Carina Nebula

The image is divided horizontally by an undulating line between a cloudscape forming a nebula along the bottom portion and a comparatively clear upper portion. Speckled across both portions is a starfield, showing innumerable stars of many sizes. The smallest of these are small, distant, and faint points of light. The largest of these appear larger, closer, brighter, and more fully resolved with 8-point diffraction spikes. The upper portion of the image is blueish, and has wispy translucent cloud-like streaks rising from the nebula below. The orangish cloudy formation in the bottom half varies in density and ranges from translucent to opaque. The stars vary in color, the majority of which, have a blue or orange hue. The cloud-like structure of the nebula contains ridges, peaks, and valleys – an appearance very similar to a mountain range. Three long diffraction spikes from the top right edge of the image suggest the presence of a large star just out of view.

NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI

July 12, 2022

Credit	NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI
Historical Date	July 12, 2022
Language	english

This landscape of “mountains” and “valleys” speckled with glittering stars is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region called NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals previously invisible areas of star birth.

More information: https://www.nasa.gov/image-article/nasas-webb-reveals-cosmic-cliffs-glittering-landscape-of-star-birth/

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Webb Reveals the Carina Nebula

Sep 9, 2023

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