New images from Hubble and James Webb reveal the Cat's Head Nebula, showing how massive stars shape this stellar nursery 7,500 light-years away.
New images of the Cat's Head Nebula released
The European Space Agency (ESA) has shared new images of the Cat's Head Nebula, captured by the Hubble and James Webb telescopes. These images, released on October 29, provide three distinct views of a region where stars are being born. The nebula is part of the larger Carina Nebula, located about 7,500 light-years from Earth.Nebula shaped by massive stars
The Cat's Head Nebula is a long pillar of gas and dust shaped over time by massive, hot stars in the Carina region. These stars emit intense ultraviolet radiation and powerful stellar winds, which gradually erode the surrounding material. This process leaves behind denser areas that form the distinctive feline-shaped structure.Visible light image highlights the silhouette
The first image, taken by Hubble's WFC3 camera, shows the nebula in visible light, the spectrum humans can see. However, the thick dust blocks much of this light, creating a dark, brown silhouette. The surrounding gas glows with colors like blue, cyan, yellow, and red, caused by light from nearby stars and the reflection of that light off the dust. A glowing red "eye" may indicate a young star still wrapped in its dust cocoon.Infrared view reveals hidden stars
The second image, captured by James Webb's NIRCam, shows the nebula in near-infrared light, which passes through dust more easily. This allows a clearer view of the nebula's structure and reveals a cloud of stars, some still partially hidden by dust. The image also shows a faint jet of material near the "cat's belly," which could suggest another young star forming inside or near the pillar.Mid-infrared image shows warm dust
The third image, taken by the MIRI instrument, captures mid-infrared light, which reveals the heat of warm dust. This image shows the nebula in blue and green tones, highlighting the glow of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons—carbon molecules found in soot. The image also shows small clumps of gas and a bright yellow source, whose connection to nearby structures remains unclear.
