We’re all part of an amazing Universe that never ceases to amaze us. Not to mention that more and more astrophysicists are in favor of the idea that a so-called Multiverse could exist, meaning a totality of many universes such as our own.
But let’s stick to what we know for sure. We have this universe of ours, which measures at least 46 billion light-years in its radius. Astronomers had already used the Hubble Space Telescope operated by NASA and the European Space Agency and functioning since three decades ago to uncover all sorts of incredible insights about our nature. But even so, the good ol’ Hubble still manages to leave the world speechless, and a new discovery confirms it.
Cosmic “sword” pierces cloud of dust and gas that surround a protostar
Hubble captures a rare photo of a cosmic “sword” composed of jets of ionized and hot gas that are ejected from the poles of the IRAS 05491+0247 newborn star:
What does astronomy in action look like? Our latest Picture of the Week is the perfect example, featuring a relatively rare celestial phenomenon known as a herbig–haro object.
Credit: @ESA / @Hubble_Space / @NASA , B. Nisini pic.twitter.com/1XAz8mVKCQ
— HUBBLE (@HUBBLE_space) August 30, 2021
The unusual phenomenon is known as a Herbig-Haro object, and the one from the picture above is located roughly 1,300 light-years away from Earth in the Orion constellation.
In a description of the image, officials of the ESA wrote:
Herbig-Haro objects actually release a lot of light at optical wavelengths, but they are difficult to observe because their surrounding dust and gas absorb much of the visible light.
After three decades of activity, Hubble will finally be replaced with another telescope in a few months. Known as the James Webb Space Telescope, we’re talking about a next-generation tool that aims to uncover valuable secrets about galaxies and stars.
After plenty of delays, Webb, meaning the successor of Hubble, is supposed o launch this November if everything goes as planned.
