the Horsehead Nebula. These observations show the top of the “horse’s mane” or edge of this iconic nebula in a whole new light
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.
Webb’s new view focuses on the illuminated edge of the top of the nebula’s distinctive dust and gas structure.
The Horsehead Nebula is a well-known photodissociation region, or PDR. In such a region, ultraviolet (UV) light from young
This UV radiation strongly influences the chemistry of these regions and acts as a significant source of heat.