The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), renowned for uncovering deep universe mysteries, has now presented a peculiar question mark formation in space near Herbig-Haro 46/47 stars.
Experts propose it may be two merging galaxies, not as enigmatic as it seems, MailOnline reported. Dr. Stephen Wilkins from the University of Sussex points out that most galaxies appear blob-like from a distance.
Bizarre Cosmic Question Mark Is Not a Message to Humanity
JWST recently released a high-resolution near-infrared image of the Herbig-Haro 46/47 emergent stars, surrounded by a dusty blue nebula in the Vela constellation, along with background galaxies.
The JWST, a joint effort of NASA, the European Space Agency, and the Canadian Space Agency, is the largest and most powerful ever launched into space that it was able to capture the astronomical feature resembling a question mark near the center bottom, a fascinating discovery.
Although some may think it is a sign of extraterrestrials, experts clarify that it is unlikely a message to humanity, but rather a testament to the impressive capabilities of the space telescope in exploring the universe like never before.
The question mark formation is found alongside a map of cosmic radiation, which includes what appears to be the initials of the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who theorized about the Big Bang. Astronomers have previously spotted galaxies resembling various objects, from penguins and roses to letters of the alphabet.
Space.com was informed by representatives from the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore, responsible for managing JWST's scientific operations that the question mark is likely the result of two galaxies colliding and sharing the same gravitational field.
The dot represents the larger galaxy, which has stretched out a smaller galaxy into a curved line of stars due to its tidal forces. However, it is also possible that the two shapes are merely two galaxies located closely together. Their red color indicates their distance in space, and it's probable that the question mark formation has never been observed by telescopes before.
Infrared Image of Actively Forming Stars
According to NASA, the image in question was of two actively forming young stars, Herbig-Haro 46/47, in high-resolution near-infrared light. These stars are deeply embedded in a disk of gas and dust, fueling their growth and mass gain. The disk remains elusive to direct observation, yet its existence becomes apparent as we detect its shadow within the enigmatic, conical regions encircling the stars.
The most prominent features are the two-sided lobes, represented in fiery orange, spreading from the central stars. This material is ejected by the stars as they repeatedly ingest and expel gas and dust in their vicinity over thousands of years.
When newer ejections interact with older material, the shape of these lobes changes, resembling patterns in a pool beneath a fountain. The variation in jet activity is likely related to the amount of material falling onto the stars at specific times.
At 2 o'clock, just below the red horizontal diffraction spike, we can observe recent ejections as slender, thread-like blue streams. These ejections create distinct wavy patterns on the right side, occasionally culminating in uneven light purple circles amidst the denser orange areas.
Lighter blue, curly lines are also observed on the left, near the central stars. All of these jets play a crucial role in star formation, regulating the amount of mass the stars accumulate from the surrounding gas and dust disk.
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