Pillars of Creation JWST - MIRI

Pillars of Creation JWST - MIRIThe Pillars of Creation are set off in a kaleidoscope of color in NASAs James Webb Space Telescopes near infrared light view. The pillars look like arches and spires rising out of a desert landscape, but are filled with semi transparent gas and dust, and ever changing. This is a region where young stars are forming or have barely burst from their dusty cocoons as they continue to form. Along the edges of the pillars are wavy lines that look like lava.

The Pillars of Creation are set off in a kaleidoscope of color in NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s near-infrared-light view. The pillars look like arches and spires rising out of a desert landscape, but are filled with semi-transparent gas and dust, and ever changing. This is a region where young stars are forming – or have barely burst from their dusty cocoons as they continue to form.

Along the edges of the pillars are wavy lines that look like lava. These are ejections from stars that are still forming. Young stars periodically shoot out supersonic jets that can interact within clouds of material, like these thick pillars of gas and dust. This sometimes also results in bow shocks, which can form wavy patterns like a boat does as it moves through water. These young stars are estimated to be only a few hundred thousand years old, and will continue to form for millions of years.

Image was taken with MIRI instrument.

Credits: IMAGE: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI