Space

Ghostly Cat’s Head Nebula Lurks Within Sight of NASA’s Hubble, Webb

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Briefings

NASA's Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes captured the Cat's Head Nebula in the Carina region, revealing a star-forming pillar with a glowing red eye. Hubble observed visible light showing a dust pillar and ionized gas, while Webb's infrared views penetrated dust to reveal dense star clusters and background galaxies. The nebula is located approximately 7,500 light-years away and is part of a temporary star-forming scene that will eventually disperse.

Key points

• Hubble and Webb captured the Cat's Head Nebula in the Carina region, a star-forming region located about 7,500 light-years from Earth.
• The nebula's structure resembles a cat with a glowing red eye, likely indicating a young star embedded in the dust.

Context

The Cat's Head Nebula is a temporary star-forming scene within the Carina region, observed by NASA's Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes. The visible-light view shows an opaque dust pillar, while infrared views reveal dense star clusters and background galaxies. This observation helps astronomers understand the complex process of star formation.

Limitations

The observation covers a small, select area of the nebula. The visible-light view shows an opaque dust pillar, while infrared views penetrate dust to reveal dense star clusters and background galaxies. The exact physical relationship between the bright light source and the narrow filament crossing the source remains undetermined from the images alone.

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