NASA's Webb Telescope Captures Breathtaking 'Cosmic Tornado' in Distant Star-Forming Region
March 24, 2025
Cederblad 110 IRS4 is relatively young, estimated to be tens of thousands to a million years old, and actively pulls in material from its surrounding disk.
NASA describes the alignment of the star-forming outflow and the galaxy as a 'lucky alignment,' highlighting the fortuitous nature of these two unrelated cosmic phenomena.
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured a stunning image of a 'cosmic tornado' known as Herbig-Haro 49/50, located approximately 625 light-years away in the constellation Chamaeleon.
The recent observations from Webb, utilizing data from both the Near-Infrared Camera and Mid-Infrared Instrument, reveal swirling jet flows composed of glowing carbon monoxide, hydrogen molecules, and energized cosmic dust.
The protostar Cederblad 110 IRS4, situated about 1.5 light-years from HH 49/50, is believed to be driving the jets that energize this outflow.
This distant spiral galaxy, seen at the tip of HH 49/50, features a prominent central bulge and warm dust regions, indicating ongoing star formation.
This Herbig-Haro object is formed by powerful jets of hot gas from a young star, which collide with surrounding dust and gas, creating striking structures and generating shock waves.
Webb's data reveals arc-shaped features that help astronomers trace the flow's direction and dynamics, showcasing energy and motion in this cosmic landscape.
The image creates an illusion of stellar material resembling a rocket's contrail heading towards a distant spiral galaxy, which is positioned behind HH 49/50.
Over time, the expanding outflow of HH 49/50 is expected to obscure the distant galaxy from view, a process anticipated to unfold over thousands of years.
Some features within the jet appear messy, suggesting overlapping jets or precession caused by changes in the protostar's environment, challenging existing models of stellar evolution.
Images like this one are crucial for scientists to understand the early, tumultuous stages of star development and the impact of stellar outflows on surrounding environments.
Summary based on 17 sources
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Sources

Yahoo News • Mar 24, 2025
Webb Space Telescope captures a star in the making and a galaxy far, far away
AP News • Mar 24, 2025
Webb Space Telescope captures a star in the making and a galaxy far, far away
Digital Trends • Mar 24, 2025
James Webb captures gorgeous image of a Cosmic Tornado