HAUNTING! NASA James Webb Telescope Pillars of Creation photo is simply fantastic | Tech News

HAUNTING! NASA James Webb Telescope Pillars of Creation photo is simply fantastic

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured a haunting image of what it has dubbed as the Pillars of Creation.

By: HT TECH
| Updated on: Oct 29 2022, 12:34 IST
In Pics: Moon to turn red this lunar eclipse 2022; know why Blood Moon rises
Pillars of Creation
1/5 Total lunar eclipse date: The last total lunar eclipse of 2022 will occur on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. This will be the last total lunar eclipse for about three years as the next total lunar eclipse will be occurring on March 14, 2025. However, we will continue to see partial and penumbral lunar eclipses during these three years. (REUTERS)
Pillars of Creation
2/5 What is a lunar eclipse? A lunar eclipse occurs when the Sun, Earth, and Moon align so that the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow. In a total lunar eclipse, the entire Moon falls within the darkest part of Earth’s shadow, called the umbra. When the Moon is within the umbra, it will turn a reddish hue. Lunar eclipses are sometimes called “Blood Moons” because of this phenomenon. (Pixabay)
Pillars of Creation
3/5 Why does the Moon turn red during a lunar eclipse: According to NASA Moon, the same phenomenon that makes our sky blue and our sunsets red causes the Moon to turn red during a lunar eclipse. It’s called Rayleigh scattering. Light travels in waves, and different colors of light have different physical properties. Blue light has a shorter wavelength and is scattered more easily by particles in Earth’s atmosphere than red light, which has a longer wavelength. Red light, on the other hand, travels more directly through the atmosphere. (Pixabay)
Pillars of Creation
4/5 Why does the Moon turn red during a lunar eclipse? During a lunar eclipse, the Red Moon rises because the only sunlight reaching the Moon passes through Earth’s atmosphere. The more dust or clouds in Earth’s atmosphere during the eclipse, the redder the Moon will appear. (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center/Scientific Visualization Studio)
image caption
5/5 How to watch the total lunar eclipse: You don’t need any special equipment to observe a lunar eclipse, although binoculars or a telescope will enhance the view and the red color. A dark environment away from bright lights makes for the best viewing conditions. (REUTERS)
Pillars of Creation
icon View all Images
Here is what NASA's James Webb Telescope's image reveals about these Pillars of Creation. (NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI; Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Alyssa Pagan (STScI))

Don't be scared! NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured a haunting photo that reveals dust and structures out there in deep space that it has dubbed as the Pillars of Creation. Explaining the image, NASA on Friday said, "This is not an ethereal landscape of time-forgotten tombs. Nor are these soot-tinged fingers reaching out. These pillars, flush with gas and dust, enshroud stars that are slowly forming over many millennia. NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has snapped this eerie, extremely dusty view of the Pillars of Creation in mid-infrared light – showing us a new view of a familiar landscape."

Also, answering the question why does mid-infrared light set such a chilling mood in James Webb Space Telescope's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) image, the research organisation said, "Interstellar dust cloaks the scene. And while mid-infrared light specializes in detailing where dust is, the stars aren't bright enough at these wavelengths to appear. Instead, these looming, leaden-hued pillars of gas and dust gleam at their edges, hinting at the activity within."

Thousands and thousands of stars have been given birth in this region. This is made plain when examining Webb's recent Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) image. In MIRI's view, the majority of the stars appear missing. This is because many newly formed stars are no longer surrounded by enough dust to be detected in mid-infrared light. Instead, MIRI observes young stars that have not yet cast off their dusty cloaks. These are the crimson orbs toward the fringes of the pillars. In contrast, the blue stars that dot the scene are aging, which means they have shed most of their layers of gas and dust.

It can be known that the mid-infrared light excels at observing gas and dust in extreme detail. According to NASA, the densest areas of dust are the darkest shades of gray. The red region toward the top, which forms an uncanny V, like an owl with outstretched wings, is where the dust is diffuse and cooler.

How vast is this landscape?

"Trace the topmost pillar, landing on the bright red star jutting out of its lower edge like a broomstick. This star and its dusty shroud are larger than the size of our entire solar system," the research organisation informs.

It can be noted that NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured several images of the Pillars of Creation prior to this. Earlier on October 19, 2022, the telescope captured a star-filled portrait of Pillars of Creation.

About Pillars of Creation

The Pillars of Creation is set within the vast Eagle Nebula, which lies 6500 light-years away.

Catch all the Latest Tech News, Mobile News, Laptop News, Gaming news, Wearables News , How To News, also keep up with us on Whatsapp channel,Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.

First Published Date: 29 Oct, 12:34 IST
NEXT ARTICLE BEGINS