James Webb Space Telescope Feed Post

Webb Maps Full Picture of How Phoenix Galaxy Cluster Forms Stars

Webb’s infrared sensitivity has helped map the cooling gas that was a missing component in understanding the atypically high rate of star formation within the Phoenix galaxy cluster. Webb’s data was added to that from telescopes like Chandra (X-ray), Hubble (Visible), and VLA (radio), which have made previous observations of this galaxy cluster, giving astronomers a fuller picture of the gas flows within, to try to understand how they are driving such extreme star formation. Prior to Webb’s data, it was only possible to measure gas at the extreme cold and hot ends of the temperatures seen through the center of this cluster. Webb was able to detect the intermediary “warm gas.” X-rays from Chandra depict extremely hot gas in purple. Optical light data from Hubble show galaxies in yellow, and filaments of cooler gas where stars are forming in light blue. Outburst-generated jets, represented in red, are seen in radio waves by the VLA. As the jets push outward, they inflated cavities, or bubbles, in the hot gas that pervades the cluster. New observations from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope trace the cooling gas along those cavities, which enables the Phoenix cluster to form stars at such a high rate. Read more: science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/webb-maps-full-picture-of-... Image credit: NASA, CXC, NRAO, ESA, Michael McDonald (MIT) Image Description: A galaxy cluster. The center of the cluster is bright white with short red jets that point toward the top right and bottom left, and several blue filaments that spread throughout the center. Outside the bright center is purple gas that is bright toward the center and dimmer further from the center. Yellow galaxies of various shapes and sizes are spread throughout the image. Image & Description by NASA