IRS 3 Field (NIRCam image)

This image features data from Webb’s NIRCam (Near Infrared Camera) to capture the most detailed mid-infrared view yet of the field that hosts the highly evolved star IRS 3, which is located just 0.55 light-years from Sagittarius A*, the Milky Way galaxy's central supermassive black hole.

An international team of astronomers have discovered that dust and water can form and survive surprisingly close to this supermassive black hole. 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*.

The data in this image were taken with Webb programme #1939 (J. Lu).

[Image description: A densely packed field of stars fills the image, with a bright cluster of stars near the centre surrounded by glowing clouds of gas and dust in soft shades of red, pink, and white. Dark patches of dust appear scattered throughout the scene, contrasting with the luminous background. Several bright foreground stars display Webb's distinctive six-pointed diffraction spikes, while countless fainter stars extend across the entire image.]