James Webb Space Telescope Discovery

L1527 (MIRI image)

L1527, shown in this image from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), is a molecular cloud that harbors a protostar. It resides in the constellation Taurus, about 460 light-years from Earth. The more diffuse blue light and the filamentary structures in the image come from organic compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), while the red at the center of this image is an energized, thick layer of gases and dust that surrounds the protostar. The region in between, which shows up in white, is a mixture of PAHs, ionized gas, and other molecules. As the protostar continues to age and release energetic jets, it’ll consume, destroy, and push away much of this molecular cloud, and many of the structures we see here will begin to fade. Eventually, once it finishes gathering mass, this impressive display will end, and the star itself will become more apparent, even to our visible-light telescopes. This image includes filters representing 7.7 microns light as blue, 12.8 microns light as green, and 18 microns light as red. Credit: ESA, NASA, CSA, STScI L1527 (MIRI image)
L1527 (MIRI image, annotated)