Post-processed JWST NIRCam data of proposal 5114 led by Dr. Elena Sabbi from NOIRLab that included infrared data of LHA 120-N159 in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The purpose of the proposal was "Tracing the evolution of circumstellar and protoplanetary disks at low metallicity". These data were released to the public on 21.11.2025.

I included data taken with the following NIRCam filters and mapped them to colors: F115W (blue), F140M (light blue), F187N (cyan), F210M (blue-green), F300M (light green), F335M (yellow), F360M (orange), F460M (red). Post-processing was done with #Siril and #GIMP.

Normally, these wavelengths are not visible to the eye. But by mapping the lower-energy IR emissions to the red channel, the higher-energy IR emissions to the blue channel, and energies in between to green and mixtures, the beauty of the nebulae becomes visible. While white areas emit light with multiple energies, the red parts only emit in the low-energy IR spectrum. This image was not created with scientifically correct processing but is an artistic interpretation of the data.

To see the images in full resolution, visit https://www.picturavis.com/index?/tags/1200-lha_120_n_159

#N159 #JWST #JamesWebb #NIRCam #SpaceTelescope #astrophotography #DeepSky #DigiKam

#SpaceScience image of the week features a stellar nursery.

This shot from the NASA/ESA +Hubble Space Telescope shows a maelstrom of glowing gas and dark dust within one of the Milky Way’s satellite galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud.

The stormy scene shows a stellar nursery known as #N159, measuring over 150 light-years across. It is known as a HII region, meaning it is rich in ionised hydrogen. Indeed, it contains many hot young stars that are emitting intense ultraviolet light, which causes nearby hydrogen gas to glow. Torrential stellar winds are also carving out ridges, arcs and filaments from the surrounding material.

At the heart of this cosmic cloud lies the #PapillonNebula, a butterfly-shaped region of nebulosity dominating the left of the scene. This compact nebula likely contains massive stars in the very early stages of formation. Its shaped earned it the name (papillon being French for butterfly) and was first resolved by Hubble in 1999.

N159 is located over 160 000 light-years away. It resides just south of the #TarantulaNebula, another massive star-forming complex within the Large Magellanic Cloud.

This image was first released as a Hubble picture of the week on 5 September 2016.

Credit: ESA/Hubble & NASA; CC BY 4.0#SpaceScience image of the week features a stellar nursery.This shot from the NASA/ESA +Hubble Space Telescope shows a maelstrom of glowing gas and dark dust within one of the Milky Way’s satellite galaxies, the Large Magellanic Cloud.The stormy scene shows a stellar nursery known as #N159, measuring over 150 light-years across. It is known as a HII region, meaning it is rich in ionised hydrogen. Indeed, it contains many hot young stars that