In a stunning display, a new James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) composite image juxtaposes two cosmic elements, the protostar outflow jet Herbig-Haro 49/50 (HH 49/50) and a colorful spiral galaxy against the twinkling background of space.
The image combines observations from JWST‘s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), finally resolving a mysterious blue feature first seen at the end of the cosmic jet in 2006. The spectacular image also points towards a young star-forming region, giving clues to HH 49/50’s origin protostar.
A Cosmic Outflow
The striking image captures a dynamic cosmic scene. A nearby protostar in mid-formation produced the outflow jets known as Herbig-Haro objects, which are the image’s primary focus. These objects can extend for light-years, eventually colliding with denser regions of space, which they heat with shockwaves. Emitting light in both visible and infrared wavelengths allows the impacted material to cool after the collision. By capturing the expansive outflow, the near- and mid-infrared images help astronomers understand how stars form and how their jets shape their environment.
When NASA’s now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope observed HH 49/50 in 2006, scientists nicknamed it the “Cosmic Tornado.” They were also intrigued by a fuzzy object at the tip of the tornado, now revealed to be a spiral galaxy. Thanks to JWST’s much higher resolution, distant galaxies and other background features are now clearly visible surrounding Herbig-Haro 49/50.
Where Stars Are Born
HH 49/50 is located in one of the closest active star-forming regions to the Milky Way—the Chamaeleon I cloud complex. Known for producing low-mass stars similar to our sun, this region likely resembles the conditions in which our solar system formed. Earlier observations indicate that HH 49/50 is moving away from us at speeds between 60 and 190 miles per second. At the time of the JWST observation, the jet was approximately 625 light-years from Earth.
The orange and red coloring in the protostellar jet is composed of hydrogen and carbon dioxide molecules, along with energized dust grains. The new observations allow astronomers to analyze smaller spatial scales and better model the jet’s properties. By tracing the jet’s arc, scientists believe they’ve identified its source: protostar Cederblad 110 IRS4. This Class I protostar lies about 1.5 light-years from HH 49/50 and has also been studied by NIRCam and MIRI. Protostars like Cederblad are relatively young—between tens of thousands and a few million years old—and are typically surrounded by a disk of material they consume during their primary accretion stage.
Future Observations
While the JWST images are revealing, not all arcs in the outflow align in the same direction. One anomalous area at the top right of the image may represent either the impact of a separate jet or a region where the main outflow is beginning to break apart.
warp bubble
The galaxy—once a mysterious fuzzy object—is much farther away and appears in the image due to a coincidence of perspective. Its blue bulge suggests an area dominated by older stars, while red regions indicate active star formation. Its structure and behavior are similar to other nearby galaxies observed through JWST’s PHANGS program. Over time, HH 49/50 will continue to expand, eventually obscuring the view of the spiral galaxy from Earth.
You can see all the new imagery of HH 49/50 with a visualization made available at the James Webb Space Telescope site.
Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted atryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter@mdntwvlf.