Researchers have long suspected that a massive galaxy cluster is forming stars at an unusually high rate. Now, the James Webb Space Telescope has confirmed this theory by mapping the missing gas that feeds star formation. The Phoenix cluster, 5.8 billion light-years from Earth, was a target of interest due to its unique properties, including an extreme cooling of gas and a massive supermassive black hole at its core.
Previous studies using NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope found differing cooling rates at different temperatures within the cluster. However, researchers were missing a piece of the process – the warm gas that feeds star formation. The James Webb Space Telescope has now detected this intermediary warm gas, which was previously undetectable.
The telescope’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) allowed researchers to study the cluster’s core in more detail than ever before. They found cavities tracing very hot gas and cooled gas around 18 million and 18,000 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. The team also discovered a unique combination of ionized atoms, neon and oxygen, created in similar environments, which helped them detect the warm gas.
This discovery provides proof of concept for studying other galaxy clusters and learning about their star formation processes. The James Webb Space Telescope is solving mysteries in our solar system and beyond, shedding light on the origins of our universe.
Source: https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/webb-maps-full-picture-of-how-phoenix-galaxy-cluster-forms-stars