Positioned at the core of the Milky Way galaxy, Sagittarius B2 is an immense molecular cloud of gas and dust, boasting around 3 million times the mass of the sun.
The Sagittarius B2 molecular cloud, where stars, gases, and cosmic dust shimmer in near-infrared light, as captured by Webb’s Nircam instruments. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STSCI/A. GINSBURG, University of Florida/N. Budaiyev, University of Florida/T. Yu, University of Florida/A. Pagan, STSCI.
The distance from Earth to Sagittarius B2 is roughly 27,000 light years, while it sits just 390 light years from the center of the Milky Way.
This is the largest and most active star-forming cloud within our galaxy, accounting for half of the stars birthed in the central region, even though it comprises merely 10% of the material required for star formation in that area.
“Sagittarius B2 is situated just hundreds of light years away from the supermassive black hole located at the galaxy’s center, right at the heart of star formation.”
“Webb’s infrared observations can penetrate some of the dense clouds present, uncovering young stars alongside the warm dust enveloping them.”
“Examining Webb’s findings aids in unraveling the long-standing enigma surrounding the star formation process and why Sagittarius B2 generates stars at a rate surpassing other galaxy centers.”
“Interestingly, one of the most striking elements of Webb’s imagery of Sagittarius B2 is the regions that remain dark.”
“These seemingly vacant areas of space are so tightly packed with gas and dust that even Webb cannot detect them.”
“These dense clouds are the progenitors of future stars and are too young to emit light themselves.”
Webb’s Miri (medium-infrared device) displays the Sagittarius B2 region in medium-red light, revealing bright warm dust. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STSCI/A. GINSBURG, University of Florida/N. Budaiyev, University of Florida/T. Yu, University of Florida/A. Pagan, STSCI.
With the high resolution and sensitivity of Webb’s Miri (mid-infrared device), this area has been uncovered in remarkable detail, showcasing luminous cosmic dust heated by a massive, young star.
The red area labeled Sagittarius B2 North (located to the right in these Webb images) is among the most molecularly abundant regions known, yet astronomers have never observed it with such clarity before.
The differentiation lies in the longer wavelengths produced, even within the infrared spectrum, and the contrast between images from Webb’s Miri and Nircam (near-infrared camera) makes it evident.
“The luminous gas and dust emerge dramatically in mid-red light, though everything except for the brightest stars vanishes from sight,” the astronomer noted.
“In contrast to Miri, vibrant stars take center stage in Webb’s Nircam images.”
“Further investigations into these stars will yield insights into their masses and ages, aiding astronomers in comprehending the intricacies of star formation within this dense, dynamic galactic core.”
“Has this activity persisted for millions of years? Or has an unknown process triggered it recently?”
“We anticipate that Webb will illuminate the reasons behind the disproportionate star formation centered around galaxies.”
“While there are ample gaseous components in this area, overall productivity is not on par with that of Sagittarius B2.”
“Sagittarius B2 contains only 10% of the galaxy-centric gas but is responsible for 50% of the stars.”
Source: www.sci.news
