The James Webb Space Telescope has unveiled stunning images of Jumbos, planet-like structures found in the Orion Nebula. These captivating photographs, courtesy of the European Space Agency, were captured using Webb’s near-infrared camera NIRCam. Located south of the Orion belt, the Orion Nebula offers scientists an abundance of invaluable insight into the formation and early evolution of stars, boasting a diverse range of phenomena and objects.
One of the highlights includes planet-forming disks encircling young stars, as well as free-floating planetary mass objects and photodissociation regions. The nebula’s core consists of the youthful Trapezium Cluster, the most massive stars of which emit intense ultraviolet radiation, illuminating the surrounding gas and dust. Additionally, protostars continue to form in the OMC-1 molecular cloud situated behind the cluster.
These breathtaking Webb mosaics, renowned for their high resolution and expansive coverage, have been incorporated into ESASky, facilitating the exploration of numerous captivating celestial sources. The short-wavelength mosaic optimized Webb’s angular resolution, providing even greater clarity.
Among the most intriguing discoveries are the Jupiter-mass binary objects, affectionately known as Jumbos. These objects, which do not conform to the conventional definition of planets due to their lack of a parent star, perplex scientists. They are smaller than stars, yet existing theories of star and planetary formation cannot explain their existence.
Mark McCaughrean, a senior adviser for science and exploration at the ESA, expressed their astonishment, stating, “We were searching for these tiny objects, and we found them. We discovered Jumbos as small as one Jupiter mass, and even half a Jupiter mass, wandering freely without being attached to a star. According to physics, objects of this size should not even exist.”
The remarkable images unveiled by Webb also expose the intricate network of dust and organic compounds known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. As the largest and most powerful telescope ever launched into space, the James Webb Space Telescope operates under an international agreement.
Denial of responsibility! Vigour Times is an automatic aggregator of Global media. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, and all materials to their authors. For any complaint, please reach us at – [email protected]. We will take necessary action within 24 hours.
