This combined view of the Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) molecular cloud highlights how different instruments on the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope reveal complementary aspects of this star-forming region at the centre of our galaxy. On the left, Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) captures stars, gas, and cosmic dust in near-infrared light, revealing a rich tapestry of colourful stars while showing less of the gas and dust structure. On the right, Webb’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) observes the region in mid-infrared light, highlighting warm dust glowing brightly. A particularly red clump of clouds on the right corresponds to one of the most molecularly rich areas known, offering clues as to why Sgr B2 is so efficient at forming stars. Only the brightest stars emit enough mid-infrared light to appear in the MIRI image, which is why far fewer stars are visible compared with NIRCam. The darkest regions in MIRI’s view are not empty space but areas where dense cosmic dust and gas block the light from reaching the telescope. Together, these observations provide astronomers with a more complete picture of the processes shaping this intriguing galactic centre region.
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