Webb Captures Stellar Jets

NASA News 20 Oct 2026 2 min read

How the science connects

AI Insight

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured detailed images of NGC 7129, a stellar nursery located approximately 3,300 light-years from Earth, revealing numerous protostars and stars previously obscured by dust clouds. The observations distinguish between hot atomic hydrogen gas (shown in golden hues) and cooler molecular hydrogen gas (shown in red) that has been shocked by embedded protostars. The images provide unprecedented views of active star formation within this nebular region.

Why it matters

These observations enhance our understanding of stellar birth processes and the early stages of star formation that are typically hidden from view. The ability to peer through dust clouds allows astronomers to study the mechanisms of protostar development and the interaction between forming stars and their surrounding gas environments.

Confidence

7/10Peer-reviewedAstronomy & Space

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A young star cluster filled with many stars that display Webb’s unique eight-pronged diffraction pattern. At its center is a yellow star which sports the largest diffraction pattern. To the left of the star, there is a region filled with yellow dust and gas that extends from the star to the left border of the image. This yellow region extends from the bottom, covering about two-thirds of the image. The yellow region has several blue stars of different sizes embedded within. The top third, which lies outside of the yellow region, holds a few bright protostars, within dense gray gas. Those stars illuminate the gas, making it appear blue. A few red outflows from other protostars are visible above this grayish-blue region. To the right of the central star, there is a clumpy, flame-like plume of red dust and gas with protostars that emit a soft white light within. The plume is surrounded by more dense gray gas and dust. There are several background galaxies strewn throughout the image.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed many protostars and stars within the glowing gases of NGC 7129. Hot, atomic hydrogen gas is shown here in the golden region, while cooler, molecular hydrogen gas, shocked by embedded protostars, is represented in red.

NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

An image from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope released on Oct. 6, 2026, reveals a cauldron of cosmic creation. Webb has unveiled numerous stars formerly hidden by clouds of dust in a stellar nursery known as NGC 7129, which resides about 3,300 light-years from Earth.

Learn more about this region – and tour it in an interactive experience.

Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI)

Source: Webb Captures Stellar Jets

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NASA News