O James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) captured the highest definition image ever recorded of the Horsehead Nebula. Known for being one of the most unique objects in space, this photograph will allow studies on the interaction between radiation and the interstellar medium.
Its distinctive shape was discovered at the end of the 19th century and it is located approximately 1,300 light years from Earth, in the constellation Orion. This shape is due to a thick pillar of dense gas and dust that has not yet been eroded.
Horsehead is in a photon-dominated region known as the PDR. There, ultraviolet light from young stars creates an environment with neutrally charged gases and high temperatures, allowing the emission of lights that are tools for studying the physical and chemical processes of the evolution of interstellar matter in our galaxy and throughout the Universe.
As it is closer to Earth than other nebulae, it is an important object to be studied to better understand the interaction between radiation and the interstellar medium, in addition to greater understanding of PDRs.
Next, astronomers intend to study the data obtained from this nebula to understand the evolution of its physical and chemical properties.
James Webb Telescope captures unprecedented images of the Orion Nebula
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