Webb telescope captures a burst of star formation

May 31. () –

The James Webb Space Telescope observed the galaxy NGC 4449, undergoing a major burst of star formation.

Starbursts are intense periods of star formation that are typically concentrated in the core of a galaxy, but NGC 4449’s activity is much broader, likely due to past interactions with its galactic neighbors. NASA reports.

Astronomers can study this galaxy to peer into the past: NGC 4449 is similar to early star-forming galaxies, which also grew by merging with other systems.

NGC 4449 is an irregular galaxy located in the constellation of Canes Venatici visible with small telescopes and located at a distance of about 4 megaparsecs from the Milky Way.

It is a galaxy similar to the Large Magellanic Cloud, but forming stars twice as fast. Various studies show the presence of several massive star clusters in this galaxy.