NASA also released a stunning James Webb Space Telescope image of the Pillars of Creation, a region of interstellar gas and cosmic dust 6,500 light-years from Earth. It is one of the most active “star nurseries” in our galaxy.

Pillars of CreationPhoto: NASA

The James Webb Telescope was launched on Christmas Day 2021, arrived at the observation point a month later, and the first science images were released in July.

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This is a much more detailed interpretation in the infrared spectrum of the image of the huge columns of interstellar gas in the Eagle Nebula in the constellation Serpent, obtained in 1995 by the Hubble telescope.

The pillars resemble vaults, as well as sharp peaks rising from the desert, but these pillars are filled with translucent gas and dust.

The Eagle Nebula is one of the most productive star nurseries in our galaxy. The image obtained by Hubble 27 years ago was a triumph of technology, especially since Hubble had some problems in its early years.

The image recently obtained by the James Webb Telescope is sharper, more detailed, with more depth and more colors.

The small red spheres visible outside the Pillars are young stars in a region where huge clumps of gas and dust have collapsed under their own gravity and their temperature has gradually increased, giving rise to new stars.

Using his special ability in the infrared spectrum, James Webb sees not only old objects, but also clouds of interstellar dust that absorb starlight and hide them from Hubble’s view. This invisible light allows the James Webb Telescope to see what is hidden in the clouds, giving us clues about the birth of stars and galaxies.