This is one of the first images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
Courtsey of NASA - Full ackowledgement must go to NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute' (STScI).
It is very much appreciated being able to use this iconic image.
Recently exhibited at New Scientist Live
What is the image??
What looks much like craggy mountains on a moonlit evening is actually the edge of a nearby, young, star-forming region NGC 3324 in the Carina Nebula. Captured in infrared light by the Near-Infrared Camera on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, this image reveals previously obscured areas of star birth.
Called the Cosmic Cliffs, the region is actually the edge of a gigantic, gaseous cavity within NGC 3324, roughly 7,600 light-years away. The cavernous area has been carved from the nebula by the intense ultraviolet radiation and stellar winds from extremely massive, hot, young stars located in the center of the bubble, above the area shown in this image. The high-energy radiation from these stars is sculpting the nebula’s wall by slowly eroding it away.
NIRCam – with its crisp resolution and unparalleled sensitivity – unveils hundreds of previously hidden stars, and even numerous background galaxies. Several prominent features in this image are described below.
-- The “steam” that appears to rise from the celestial “mountains” is actually hot, ionized gas and hot dust streaming away from the nebula due to intense, ultraviolet radiation.
-- Dramatic pillars rise above the glowing wall of gas, resisting the blistering ultraviolet radiation from the young stars.
-- Bubbles and cavities are being blown by the intense radiation and stellar winds of new-born stars.
-- Protostellar jets and outflows, which appear in gold, shoot from dust-enshrouded, nascent stars.
-- A “blow-out” erupts at the top-centre of the ridge, spewing gas and dust into the interstellar medium.
-- An unusual “arch” appears, looking like a bent-over cylinder.
This period of very early star formation is difficult to capture because, for an individual star, it lasts only about 50,000 to 100,000 years – but Webb’s extreme sensitivity and exquisite spatial resolution have chronicled this rare event.
Located roughly 7,600 light-years away, NGC 3324 was first catalogued by James Dunlop in 1826. Visible from the Southern Hemisphere, it is located at the northwest corner of the Carina Nebula (NGC 3372), which resides in the constellation Carina. The Carina Nebula is home to the Keyhole Nebula and the active, unstable supergiant star called Eta Carinae.
Courtsey of NASA
(Full ackowledgement must go to NASA and the Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI). It is very much appreciated being able to use this iconic image.
Gallery Sale -JWST Cosmic Cliffs 48" Acrylic
The image is sandwiched between layers with acrylic on the front surface giving a vibrant, glossy and beautiful result. These look very punchy in any room. 70+ years archival inks are used for printing, ensuring they do not fade and give a beautiful and long-lasting finish.
An aluminium sub frame on the back makes it sturdy and easy to hang, just requiring two screws. The art piece comes with a certificate, background information on the object and how it was photographed and a download card for the Galaxy on Glass music album.
Your art is made to order. The Acrylic and Backlit pieces take about 4 weeks to make and ship and the Fine Art prints are shipped within a week. I will keep you updated and set a convenient delivery date. Delivery includes packing, shipping, insurance and any import tax. If you have a deadline date then just let me know by email and I’m sure I can help!