Webb image reveals stunning new details of the largest star-forming region in the Milky Way

Sagittarius B2 is located only a few hundred light-years away from Sagittarius A. Sagittarius A is the supermassive black hole at the heart of the Milky Way galaxy. The Milky Way’s entire galactic core is loaded with gas that should host star formation. 

But interestingly, 50 percent of the star formation happens in Sagittarius B2, which has only 10 percent of the gas in the region. The disproportionate star formation in the galactic core remains a mystery.

To unravel that mystery, understanding Sagittarius B2 in detail might prove useful. Webb observed Sagittarius B2 using its Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI).

The NIRCam image reveals countless stars and the bright clouds of gas and dust around them. Several dark regions also appear in the image. These regions are filled with dark clouds too thick for Webb to see through. Although they look like empty space now, these clouds have the potential to give birth to future stars.

In the MIRI image, glowing gas and dust take the spotlight. Only the brightest stars appear in the image as blue pinpoints. Scientists intend to carry out further research on this region to understand more about these stars, including their age and masses.

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