A new near-infrared image taken by NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) features two young and dynamic stars named Herbig-Haro 46/47.
These two stars are still in an active formation stage and closely orbiting each other. They are located in the Vela constellation and are approximately 1,470 light-years away from Earth.
JWST has captured the most detailed and high-resolution image of this star pair to date, which has been studied by numerous space and ground-based telescopes since the 1950s.
The telescope's capabilities allow it to peer through a nebula filled with gas and dust surrounding the stars. In previous images taken by other telescopes, the blue nebula appeared black.
Over millions of years, these two stars will complete their formation processes, and the bright-colored details in the JWST image will fade as the binary star pair ages.
This image captured by the space telescope at this critical moment will help scientists gain more insight into how stars form and evolve over time.
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is a massive space telescope named after former NASA administrator James Webb.
It is designed to replace and complement the Hubble Space Telescope with larger and more complex observation capabilities.
JWST is expected to shed light on the early universe, star and galaxy formations, planetary atmospheres, and many other mysteries of astronomy.
Mission and Objectives: JWST's primary mission is to revolutionize astronomy with its ability to look back at the beginning of the universe and explore the first galaxies, stars, and planets.
The telescope will focus particularly on distant galaxies and stars, investigate signs of life in outer planet atmospheres, and observe objects in our solar system in greater detail.
Optical Design: JWST features a large observation mirror with a diameter of 6.5 meters, which allows the telescope to have a significant light-collecting area.
The observation mirror is foldable during launch and unfolds when it reaches its orbit.
Infrared Observation: James Webb Space Telescope is designed to work in the infrared region.
This allows the telescope to observe cold and dusty regions, gas clouds, and distant galaxies more clearly. Additionally, infrared rays are less affected compared to visible light, enabling the examination of distant and ancient objects.
