WEBVTT

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[MUSIC PLAYING]

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NASA's James Webb
Space Telescope

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has snapped this view of
the Pillars of Creation

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in mid-infrared
light, showing us

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a new view of a
familiar landscape.

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Thousands of stars have
formed in this region.

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This is made clear
when examining Webb's

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recent near-infrared image.

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But in mid-infrared light,
the majority of these stars

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appear to be missing.

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The pillars are flush
with gas and dust.

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While mid-infrared
light specializes

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in detailing where
dust is, the stars

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aren't bright enough at
these wavelengths to appear.

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Instead, mid-infrared
light excels

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at observing gas and dust,
like young stars that

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still have their dusty cloaks.

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These are the crimson
orbs toward the fringes

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of the pillars.

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In contrast, the blue
stars that dot the scene

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are aging, which means
they have already

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shed most of their
layers of gas and dust.

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How vast is this landscape?

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This bright red star
and its dusty shroud

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are larger than the size
of our entire solar system.

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