IC 348

This captivating image by the NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) aboard NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope showcases the central region of the star cluster IC 348. Astronomers meticulously explored this cluster in search of tiny, free floating brown dwarfs. Remarkably, they discovered three brown dwarfs, each weighing less than eight times the mass of Jupiter. The smallest among them challenges existing theories of star formation, as it weighs merely three to four times that of Jupiter. The delicate, wispy curtains filling the image represent interstellar material, reflecting light from the cluster’s stars (a phenomenon known as a reflection nebula). Within this material, we find carbon containing molecules, specifically polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Notably, the bright star closest to the frame’s centre is actually a binary system of type B stars, making them the most massive stars within the cluster. These massive stars winds may play a role in sculpting the large loop visible on the right side of the field of view.

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