the Horsehead Nebula. These observations show the top of the “horse’s mane” or edge of this iconic nebula in a whole new light, capturing the region’s complexity with unprecedented spatial resolution.
Webb’s new images show part of the sky in the constellation Orion (The Hunter), in the western side of a dense region known as the Orion B molecular cloud
The nebula formed from a collapsing interstellar cloud of material, and glows because it is illuminated by a nearby hot star.
The gas clouds surrounding the Horsehead have already dissipated, but the jutting pillar is made of thick clumps of material and therefore is harder to erode.
Astronomers estimate that the Horsehead has about five million years left before it too disintegrates.
This UV radiation strongly influences the chemistry of these regions and acts as a significant source of heat.
the transition regions between them. It is considered one of the best regions in the sky to study how radiation interacts with interstellar matter.