In a one-of-its-kind image, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) recently shared photos of bright reddish wrinkled streaks aligned in the same direction in the Serpens Nebula. The same direction of the jets of gas emanating from newborn stars in the nebula makes this image different from previous images captured by NASA telescopes.
About the NASA image
The nebula is a young star-forming region filled mostly with thin orange, red and blue layers of gas and dust. The upper left corner of the image is mostly filled with orange dust, while viewers can see bright red clumps of gas extending from the top left to the bottom right. The brightest star is the one in the center. There are many bright stars scattered throughout the region in the image. Most of them have broad eight-pointed diffraction spikes.
nasa james webb telescope
This image was taken by NASA’s James Webb Telescope, a premier space science observatory. NASA’s telescope helps scientists unravel the mystery of nearly every stage of our universe, from the first bright flashes after the Big Bang to the formation of solar systems with the potential to support life. The James Webb Telescope was launched on December 25, 2021. Unlike the Hubble Space Telescope, which orbits Earth, the James Webb Telescope orbits the Sun 1.5 million kilometers (1 million miles) away at the second Lagrange point, or L2.
Serpent Nebula
The Serpens Nebula is located about 1,300 light-years from Earth and is only 1-2 million years old. The young nebula (when compared to peers) has a dense cluster of newly formed stars, which is visible in the center of the image.
The Serpens Nebula is one of the 48 constellations designated by the 2nd century astronomer Ptolemy. It is also one of the 88 modern constellations designated by the International Astronomical Union.
The region of the nebula centered in the image is also home to several fascinating features, including the fluttering shadow of the planet-forming disk, which has earned the name ‘Bat Shadow.’ This is a region of varying density that appears as cracks, and a special binary protostar.
In a single day, 36 million Indians chose us as India’s undisputed platform for General Election results. Check latest updates Here!
Get all the business news, market news, breaking news events and latest news updates on Live Mint. Download Mint News App to get daily market updates.
more less
Published: June 21, 2024, 01:01 PM IST
