Cosmic Tornado EXPLODES in New Image!

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured a breathtaking image of Herbig-Haro 49/50—an explosive stellar nursery dubbed the “cosmic tornado”—exposing its swirling jets, radiant shockwaves, and a surprise background galaxy.

At a Glance

• Webb imaged HH 49/50 in near- and mid-infrared, revealing powerful jets from a newborn star 625 light-years away.
• The so-called “tornado tip” is actually a spiral galaxy positioned directly behind the stellar outflow.
• The Herbig-Haro jets are moving at hundreds of kilometers per second, creating bow shock arcs in surrounding dust and gas.
• The image, captured using Webb’s NIRCam and MIRI instruments, shows emissions from hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and heated dust.
• The region lies in the Chamaeleon I star-forming cloud, offering insights into the conditions that shaped our early solar system.

Stellar Firehose Caught in the Act

Herbig-Haro 49/50 (HH 49/50) is formed by jets from an infant star blasting through interstellar matter, generating arcs of energized gas that glow in infrared. These features, once blurred in earlier Spitzer images, now appear in stunning detail thanks to Webb’s upgraded instruments.

Watch a report: James Webb Space Telescope Captures a Cosmic Tornado

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Webb’s NIRCam and MIRI instruments captured the chaotic jets as they carve through space, illuminating a star-forming zone that resembles what our own solar system may have looked like at its birth. The telescope detected carbon monoxide and hydrogen emissions along with warmed interstellar dust—tracing the high-speed dynamics of stellar formation.

Surprise Galaxy Behind the Glow

The dramatic “tip” of the tornado-like structure, first imaged by Spitzer in 2006, appeared to be part of the HH jets. But Webb revealed it to be a spiral galaxy serendipitously aligned in the background. This chance cosmic overlap adds a remarkable dimension to an already extraordinary image.

As HH 49/50 continues to evolve, astronomers expect the expanding jet material may eventually obscure the galaxy—a rare and fleeting celestial alignment.

A New Era of Starbirth Imaging

Located in the Chamaeleon I cloud, HH 49/50 offers a living laboratory for understanding star formation. Webb’s ability to differentiate wavelengths from 2 to 7.7 microns allows scientists to study chemical composition and shock interactions in exquisite detail. As ESA’s interactive visualization shows, the turbulent beauty of this region reveals not only how stars are born—but how even cosmic violence can give rise to breathtaking structure.

Webb’s image of HH 49/50 doesn’t just illuminate a baby star’s journey—it captures a rare collision of light, physics, and perspective, forever reshaping how we view the cradles of the cosmos.