The Glow of Hot, Young Stars

Day 10 of the 2024 Space Telescope Advent Calendar: the glow of hot, young stars. The James Webb Space Telescope captured a spectacular view of the galaxy I Zwicky 18 (I Zw 18). This galaxy, roughly 59 million light-years away, is typical of the kinds of galaxies that inhabited the early universe and is classified as a dwarf irregular galaxy. Two major starburst regions are embedded in the galaxy’s heart. The wispy brown filaments surrounding the central starburst region are bubbles of gas that have been heated by stellar winds and intense ultraviolet radiation unleashed by hot, young stars.

See the full advent calendar here, where a new image will be revealed each day until December 25.