Webb Telescope Unveils Secrets of Star Formation in Triangulum Galaxy

New images from NASA's James Webb Space Telescope reveal over 200 massive young stars and key molecules in the NGC 604 region.

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captures new images of star-forming region NGC 604 in the Triangulum Galaxy, revealing intricate details of star birth.
The images showcase over 200 of the hottest and most massive types of stars, including B-types and O-types, some more than 100 times the mass of our Sun.
Bright red tendrils and clumps of emission, along with bright orange streaks, indicate the presence of carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), crucial in star and planet formation.
The mid-infrared image from Webb's MIRI instrument highlights large clouds of cooler gas and dust, showing fewer stars but revealing red supergiants and the dynamic activity of the region.
These observations offer astronomers a rare opportunity to study such a concentrated group of massive stars early in their existence, providing insights into the mysteries of star formation.