James Webb Space Telescope Finds Unexpected Ultraviolet Radiation Around Young Protostars
Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have detected unexpected ultraviolet radiation around five young protostars in the Ophiuchus molecular cloud. Since infant stars are not expected to emit UV light, the finding challenges long-standing star-formation models. Researchers ruled out external illumination from nearby stars, concluding the UV must originate within the protostars themselves. Future JWST observations may reveal how these forming stars generate such high-energy radiation.
