Webb reveals oxygen-rich dust and water surviving near Milky Way's central black hole
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have discovered that oxygen-rich dust and water can form and survive near the Milky Way's central supermassive black hole. The findings suggest that evolved stars remain resilient in extreme environments, contributing material for future star and planet formation.
Why it matters
This discovery challenges previous assumptions about the harshness of galactic centers and expands our understanding of cosmic material recycling.
edited by Swati Mestri , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source IRS 3 Field (NIRCam and MIRI image). Credit: European Space Agency Using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, an international team of astronomers has discovered that dust and water can form and survive surprisingly close to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The observations reveal that the evolved star IRS 3 continues to enrich its surroundings with newly formed material despite the intense radiation environment around Sagittarius A*.
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