NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has caught yet another spectacle in a newly released image of a “cosmic tornado” forming billows of gas and dust that appear to be crowned with a spiral galaxy. This colorful display, known as Herbig-Haro 49/50, illustrates an outflow that was originally launched from a young star and is now zipping through space at breakneck speed.
The galaxy sitting at the summit of the colorful arc is really much more distant than it seems and entirely unrelated to the outflow. In a stroke of luck, however, the two features have aligned to create a satisfying image that is helping scientists understand the eccentricities of star formation.
Creation of the Cosmic Tornado
Located in the Chamaeleon I Cloud Complex 625 light-years from Earth, Herbig-Haro 49/50 (HH 49/50) was first spotted by NASA’s retired Spitzer Space Telescope in 2006. Inspired by its helix-like appearance, scientists nicknamed it the cosmic tornado, yet they weren’t so sure about the bright, fuzzy object at the top of this tornado. Enhanced imaging from JWST’s Near-Infrared Camera and Mid-Infrared Instrument has led to the realization that the object is actually a spiral galaxy making the perfect cameo.
Like other Herbig-Haro objects, the extraordinary design of HH 49/50 originated from a developing star that expelled a jet of gas; barreling through dense regions of space at speeds of 60 miles to 190 miles per second, the jet heated up cosmic gas and dust that eventually cooled to produce the reddish-orange tornado appearance.
JWST captured hydrogen molecules, carbon monoxide molecules, and grains of dust that have been jostled by shockwaves from the jet, causing them to emit light at visible and infrared wavelengths.
Read More: Space Tornadoes Are Swirling Around the Milky Way's Core
The Star Where It All Began
The updated image of HH 49/50 has given scientists a clear view of the jet’s movement. Based on previous observations of the outflow, they suspect that a protostar (the earliest phase in stellar evolution) called Cederblad 110 IRS4 — located about 1.5 light years away from HH 49/50 — may be the original source.
Scientists now have a better idea of what direction the jet is coming from, but not all arcs in the outflow can be traced back to the same location. One anomaly is an outcrop feature at the top right of the main outflow, which scientists think could be associated with a different outflow that may have also fortuitously aligned with HH 49/50 in the image. However, it could also be a portion of the main outflow that has broken apart.
Guest Appearance of a Galaxy
In the JWST image, the spiral galaxy at the top of HH 49/50 can be seen with a blue center, which is where a collection of older stars lies. The bulge at the center shows signs of “side lobes,” indicating that this could be a barred spiral; these common subtypes of spiral galaxies contain a bar of stars that stretches across the center (the Milky Way is also a barred spiral, as are two-thirds of all spiral galaxies). Bars are believed to play an important role in the evolution of host galaxies, transporting gas from outer regions to the innermost regions.
HH 49/50 will continue to move across space, and after thousands of years, it will appear to cover up the spiral galaxy. Although Herbig-Haro objects are transient phenomena, meaning they eventually disappear, the accidental alignment of HH 49/50 will still endure for quite a long time.
Read More: NASA's SPHEREx Mission Will Soon Search the Milky Way for Signs of Water
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
NASA. NASA’s Webb Telescope Unmasks True Nature of the Cosmic Tornado
NASA. Types of Galaxies
Astronomy and Astrophysics. Effect of bars on the galaxy properties
Jack Knudson is an assistant editor at Discover with a strong interest in environmental science and history. Before joining Discover in 2023, he studied journalism at the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University and previously interned at Recycling Today magazine
