Dust and Water in Sagittarius A*

NASA News 10 Sep 2026 2 min read

How the science connects

AI Insight

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope observed IRS 3, a dying star near Sagittarius A*, on August 11, 2026, using mid-infrared imaging. The observations revealed oxygen-rich silicate dust in the star's envelope, along with the first-ever detection of water in this particular stellar environment. This discovery provides new insights into the composition of material surrounding evolved stars in the galactic center region.

Why it matters

Understanding the presence of water and dust around dying stars helps scientists better comprehend how these elements are distributed and recycled in space, contributing to our knowledge of stellar evolution and the chemical enrichment of galaxies. The detection of water in such extreme environments near the galactic center also informs models of how life-essential molecules can persist in harsh cosmic conditions.

Confidence

7/10Peer-reviewedAstronomy & Space

Understand the Science

Stellar evolution 41 articles Explore Concept → Infrared astronomy 23 articles Explore Concept → Circumstellar dust Concept coming soon

A dense star field fills the entire image, with countless stars scattered across a backdrop of glowing clouds in shades of red, orange, pink, white, and blue. At the center, a brilliant concentration of stars creates a bright, almost white core surrounded by intricate filaments and wisps of illuminated gas and dust that radiate outward. Dark, irregular patches of opaque dust interrupt the glowing clouds, particularly toward the left side of the image, where they appear as silhouetted shapes against the brighter background. The surrounding stellar population varies in brightness and color, with cool blue stars and warmer orange and red stars distributed throughout the scene.

ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, F. Peißker, J. Lu, F. Yusef-Zadeh, N. B. Sabha, C. Chan

A brilliant concentration of stars takes center stage in this Aug. 11, 2026, image taken by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Webb observed IRS 3, a star near the end of its life cycle, located within this starfield. Webb’s mid-infrared data revealed the clear signature of oxygen-rich silicate dust, as well as, for the first time, water, in its surrounding dust envelope.