James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Captures a Star in Making

PWOnlyIAS

March 27, 2025

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Captures a Star in Making

Recently JWST captured a plume of gas and dust streaming from a forming star, with a spiral galaxy in the background.

James Webb Space Telescope

Key Findings of JWST

  • The composite image, released by NASA and ESA resembles a rocket’s contrail moving towards the galaxy.
  • Located 625 light-years away, this is one of the closest star-forming regions in the Milky Way.

About Star

  • A star is a giant sphere of extremely hot, luminous gas (mostly hydrogen and helium) held together by gravity. 
    • A few examples of well-known stars are Pollux, Sirius, Vega, Polaris, and our own Sun.

Life Cycle of a Star

James Webb Space Telescope

  • Birth Stage
    • Nebula: A vast cloud of gas (hydrogen, helium) and dust, where stars begin.
    • Protostar: Gravity collapses the nebula, forming a dense, spinning, and heating region.
  • Main Sequence Phase: The longest phase, where hydrogen fusion occurs in the core, sustaining the star.
    • The Sun is currently in its main sequence phase.
  • Post-Main Sequence Evolution (Old Age)
    • Low to Medium Mass Stars (e.g., Sun): Expand into Red giants after hydrogen depletion.
    • Massive Stars: Become Supergiants, fusing heavier elements like carbon and oxygen.
  • End Stages: Death and Remenants
    • Low to Medium Mass Stars: Outer layers eject as a planetary nebula; the core becomes a white dwarf.
      • It remains stable as a Dwarf star if the mass is under Chandrasekhar Limit (1.4 solar masses).
    • High Mass Stars: Collapse into a neutron star (1.4–3 solar masses) or a black hole if above 3 solar masses.

James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

  • Successor to Hubble: Launched in 2021, it observes the universe in infrared wavelengths.
  • Enhanced Capabilities: Provides detailed imaging of celestial objects, detecting early galaxies and star formation.
  • Major Discoveries: Captured clear images of star birth, exoplanets, and distant galaxies.
Additional Reading: James Webb Telescope

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UDAAN PRELIMS WALLAH
Comprehensive coverage with a concise format
Integration of PYQ within the booklet
Designed as per recent trends of Prelims questions
हिंदी में भी उपलब्ध

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