Young Stellar Objects Stand Out in New Hubble Image

A new Hubble image of NGC 1333 in the Perseus Molecular Cloud highlights young stellar objects, including a protostar with a protoplanetary disk; JWST mosaics show more infrared detail across the cloud.

NGC 1333 is a reflection nebula in the Perseus Molecular Cloud about 1,000 light-years from Earth. A new Hubble Space Telescope image highlights young stellar objects in the region, including a protostar with a clear protoplanetary disk. The picture also shows a pair of young variable stars shaping a fan-shaped cavity in the surrounding gas. Wider JWST infrared mosaics show more objects and detail across the cloud. Key details: - NGC 1333 is a visible star-forming region in the Perseus Molecular Cloud, roughly 1,000 light-years away. - The Hubble image shows a protostar in the upper left that is still accreting and displays a sideways-hourglass protoplanetary disk. - A pair of young Orion-variable stars in the center right are carving a fan-shaped cavity, and four additional Orion variables appear along the image bottom. - JWST mosaics provide a wider infrared view where more sources, including brown dwarfs and glowing gas, are visible; the protoplanetary disk appears in a comparable location across the images. - Hubble observes optical and ultraviolet wavelengths, while JWST is more powerful in the infrared and can penetrate more dust. - Hubble’s gyroscopes have failed down to a single remaining gyro, and reports mention discussion of a privately funded servicing mission. Summary: The Hubble image of NGC 1333 highlights multiple early stages of stellar development, from a protostar with a protoplanetary disk to variable young stars, and JWST infrared mosaics reveal additional, more obscured objects. Hubble remains valuable for optical and UV observations but its operational future is uncertain as its gyros have largely failed and talk of private servicing has been reported. Undetermined at this time.