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Dazzling new images from Webb telescope reveal “ghostly glow” of newborn stars
A stellar nursery filled with hundreds of blistering-hot and massive newborn stars is captured in two new images by the James Webb Space Telescope, which showcase the uniquely dense region of outer space in stunning detail.
The images were produced by the Webb telescope’s Near-Infrared Camera and Mid-Infrared Instrument, or NIRCam and MIRI, giving complementary views of a star-forming region in the Triangulum galaxy that scientists have dubbed NGC 604. Estimated to be around 3.5 million years old, the region is home to more than 200 of the hottest and largest types of stars, all of which are “in the early stages of their lives,” the NASA Webb Mission Team said in a statement unveiling the new images. Young stars pictured in them are categorized as B-type and O-type — referring mainly to their physical makeup — and those that fall into the latter category can be especially huge. Some are more than 100 times as big as the sun in our solar system.
“It’s quite rare to find this concentration of them in the nearby universe. In fact, there’s no similar region within our own Milky Way galaxy,” the Webb Mission Team said. The Triangulum galaxy, at 2.73 million light-years from Earth, is considered nearby.
Because of its relatively close distance, and because Triangulum’s star-forming region is so concentrated, the data collected by Webb to produce these new images has allowed astronomers to begin studying the stars as newborns. The Webb team called this “a fascinating time” as the process of star birth is still one of the most mysterious and complex phenomena in the universe despite also being a popular subject of scientific investigation.
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI
In one of the two new images of NGC 604, produced by the Webb telescope’s NIRCam, dusty tendrils and clumps of emission appear bright red and splay out from a series of spherical spaces, described as “large bubbles in the nebula.”
“Stellar winds from the brightest and hottest young stars have carved out these cavities, while ultraviolet radiation ionizes the surrounding gas,” the Webb team said. “This ionized hydrogen appears as a white and blue ghostly glow.”
Other sections of the image that appear bright orange likely mark the presence of carbon-based molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which scientists know are involved in the formation of stars and planets. How and where these molecules originate in the universe is still unknown.
NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI
A second image of NGC 604, captured by MIRI, shows the region in mid-infrared wavelengths. This view includes fewer stars “because hot stars emit much less light at these wavelengths, while the larger clouds of cooler gas and dust glow,” the Webb team said. The image also captures some stars from the surrounding galaxy called red supergiants, which are cool and very large.
NASA has shared remarkable images of newborn star clusters before, also taken by the Webb telescope. To mark the first anniversary of Webb’s outer-space observations last July, the agency released an image of a stellar nursery in the Rho Ophiuchi cloud complex, which it said at the time was the closest star-forming region to Earth. That region contained about 50 young stars that were all similar in size to the sun in our solar system, or smaller.
CBS News
Kamala Harris will speak with “60 Minutes” tomorrow. Here’s what to know for the interview.
Voters will get the chance to hear from Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday as she presents her case for why she should be president in a “60 Minutes” election special.
For decades, “60 Minutes” has featured both Republican and Democratic nominees for presidents, but this year, former President Donald Trump backed out after previously indicating he would be on the show. Correspondent Scott Pelley, who’d been set to interview Trump, will instead travel to Arizona’s Maricopa County, home to more than 60% of Arizona’s voters and a critical battleground in a key swing state.
One thing is certain about the election; with the U.S. deeply involved in both the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, whoever wins on Nov. 5 will become a wartime president.
What Harris will discuss
Israel’s war started one year ago after Hamas launched a surprise terror attack and correspondent Bill Whitaker will discuss the ongoing war with Harris.
Harris will also discuss the economy, immigration, her record as vice president and the differences between herself and Trump.
Democratic vice presidential candidate Gov. Tim Walz will also appear.
Whitaker joined the Democratic ticket on the campaign trail this week to gain insight into their platform’s priorities and values, and what the candidates believe voters should know.
Why Trump pulled out of the “60 Minutes” interview
Leading up to the candidate hour, Trump, through campaign spokespeople, was the first candidate to accept the “60 Minutes” request to be interviewed for the special, according to CBS News. It had been agreed that both candidates would receive equal time during the broadcast.
Trump last sat down with 60 Minutes in 2020. He walked out during the interview with Lesley Stahl. Trump referenced the incident on Tuesday night at a Milwaukee press conference when asked about his decision not to participate in the Oct. 7 “60 Minutes” election special.
“Well, right now, I went to – they came to me and would like me to do an interview, but first I want to get an apology, because the last time I did an interview with them, if you remember, they challenged me on the computer,” Trump said. “They said the ‘laptop from hell’ was from Russia, and I said it wasn’t from Russia. It was from Hunter, and I never got an apology, so I’m sort of waiting. I’d love to do ’60 Minutes.’ I do everything.”
The Republican nominee for president emphasized that he felt he was owed an apology from “60 Minutes.”
“Let’s see if they do it. I wouldn’t mind doing 60,” Trump continued. “I’ve done ’60 Minutes’ a lot.”
In a statement on Tuesday, Trump campaign communications director Steven Cheung said that Trump’s team had not agreed to an interview.
“Fake News,” Cheung said in a post on X. “60 Minutes begged for an interview, even after they were caught lying about Hunter Biden’s laptop back in 2020. There were initial discussions, but nothing was ever scheduled or locked in. They also insisted on doing live fact checking, which is unprecedented.”
Previous Trump, Harris appearances on 60 Minutes
Trump previously sat down with “60 Minutes'” Mike Wallace in 1985, Pelley in 2015 and Lesley Stahl twice in 2016, first in July of that year and then again in November of 2016. He also spoke with Stahl again in 2018 and 2020.
Harris previously sat down with Whitaker last year. She also was interviewed by Norah O’Donnell, “CBS Evening News” anchor and “60 Minutes” contributing correspondent, in 2020.
How to watch the “60 Minutes” election special
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