James Webb telescope: Baby star launches giant jets and shocks

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured a stunning image of a young star, HH212, in the process of formation, located in the Orion constellation about 1,300 light-years from Earth. The protostar, estimated to be around 50,000 years old, is reminiscent of what our Sun might have looked like at a similar stage. The protostar itself is not visible, obscured by a dense disc of gas and dust, but its presence is revealed through spectacular pinky-red jets of molecular hydrogen being ejected in opposite directions.

These jets are believed to play a critical role in the star formation process by helping to regulate the star’s angular momentum. As the protostar contracts and spins, magnetic fields channel some of the infalling material out through the poles, preventing the star from spinning apart. The Webb image, taken at an infrared wavelength of 2.12 microns, shows these jets glowing brightly due to shockwaves energizing the molecular hydrogen.

Astronomers have been observing HH212 for three decades, and the JWST’s advanced capabilities provide a view 10 times sharper than previous images, offering new insights into star formation. By compiling images over time, researchers can track changes in the jet structures and measure their speed, which exceeds 100 kilometers per second. The telescope’s ability to observe at various wavelengths unavailable to ground telescopes enhances the understanding of the processes within the jets.

The JWST, a collaboration between the US, European, and Canadian space agencies, has also imaged HH211, a similar but even younger protostar in the Perseus constellation. These observations of Herbig-Haro objects—named after astronomers George Herbig and Guillermo Haro who studied them in the mid-20th century—highlight the transformative impact of the JWST in the field of astronomy.