                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2025 April 9
    A dark starfield is dominated by a red cone-like nebula with its base
   on the bottom right and extending diagonally through the image. At the
    peak of the cone toward the upper left is a background spiral galaxy.
          Please see the explanation for more detailed information.

                      HH 49: Interstellar Jet from Webb
                  Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, JWST

   Explanation: What's at the tip of this interstellar jet? First let's
   consider the jet: it is being expelled by a star system just forming
   and is cataloged as Herbig-Haro 49 (HH 49). The star system expelling
   this jet is not visible -- it is off to the lower right. The complex
   conical structure featured in this infrared image by the James Webb
   Space Telescope also includes another jet cataloged as HH 50. The fast
   jet particles impact the surrounding interstellar gas and form shock
   waves that glow prominently in infrared light -- shown here as
   reddish-brown ridges. This JWST image also resolved the mystery of the
   unusual object at HH 49's tip: it is a spiral galaxy far in the
   distance. The blue center is therefore not one star but many, and the
   surrounding circular rings are actually spiral arms.

               Jump Around the Universe: Random APOD Generator
                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Amber Straughn Specific rights apply.
                  NASA Web Privacy, Accessibility, Notices;
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC,
                           NASA Science Activation
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

