Webb reveals stunning panorama of star formation

Science & Exploration Webb reveals stunning panorama of star formation 15/09/2026 3004 views 44 likes ESA / Science & Exploration / Space Science / Webb This starry view of the nearby star-forming region IC 348 is one of the largest images from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope released to the public so far. Using Webb, astronomers searched IC 348 for brown dwarfs, which are less massive than the smallest stars. The researchers discovered brown dwarfs just twice the mass of Jupiter, bringing the study of these curious objects into a new mass range. The star-forming region IC 348 is located just 1000 light-years away in the constellation Perseus . In regions like IC 348, cold clouds of molecular hydrogen gas collapse to form new stars, creating glowing, sculpted scenes like this one. The star-formation process can create impressively varied objects, from massive stars that expire after only a few million years in core-collapse supernova explosions to the smallest and most common stars, which are long lived and produce powerful stellar storms. [Text continues after image]…