JWST Reveals Rare O-Type Star in Carina Nebula’s 'Treasure Chest' Globule
The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a new image of the 'Treasure Chest' cometary globule in the Carina Nebula, revealing a cluster of approximately 70 newborn stars. The most massive of these is a rare O-type star, about 19 times the mass of the Sun. Located 7,500 light-years away, the cluster is estimated to be 1.3 million years old, though earlier estimates suggested it could be as young as 100,000 years. The globule’s distinctive shape is being sculpted by radiation and stellar winds from nearby massive stars, including Eta Carinae and the Trumpler 16 cluster. Over time, this external pressure will disperse the surrounding gas and dust, eventually exposing the hidden stars within.
