Free Astronomy Magazine September-October 2025

40 The progression from a large molecular cloud to massive stars entails multiple steps, some of which are still not well understood by astronomers. Located approximately 4,000 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius, the Cat’s Paw Nebula offers scien- tists the opportunity to study the turbulent cloud-to-star process in great detail. Webb’s observation of the nebula in near-infrared light builds upon previous studies by NASA’s Hubble and retired Spitzer Space Telescope in visible- and infrared-light, respectively. With its sharp resolution, Webb shows never- before-seen structural details and features: Massive young stars are carving away at nearby gas and dust, while their bright starlight is producing a bright nebulous glow represented in blue. It’s a temporary scene where the disruptive young stars, with their relatively short lives and luminosity, have a brief but important role in the region’s larger story. As a consequence of these mas- by NASA/ESA/CSA Abigail Major & Hannah Braun Webb scratches beyond surface of Cat’s Paw I t’s the cat’s meow! To celebrate its third year of revealing stunning scenes of the cosmos in infrared light, NASA’s James Webb Space Tele-scope has “clawed” back the thick, dusty layers of a section within the Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334). Focusing Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) on a single “toe bean” within this active star- forming region revealed a subset of mini toe beans, which appear to contain young stars shaping the surrounding gas and dust. Webb’s look at this particular area of the Cat’s Paw Nebula just scratches the surface of the telescope’s three years of ground- breaking science. “Three years into its mission, Webb contin- ues to deliver on its design – revealing previ- ously hidden aspects of the universe, from the star formation process to some of the earliest galaxies,” said Shawn Domagal- Goldman, acting director of the Astrophysics Division at NASA Headquarters in Washing- ton. “As it repeatedly breaks its own records, Webb is also uncovering unknowns for new generations of flagship missions to tackle. Whether it’s following up on the mysteries of dark matter with NASA’s nearly complete Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, or nar- rowing our search for life to Earth-like plan- ets with the Habitable Worlds Observatory, the questions Webb has raised are just as ex- citing as the answers it’s giving us.” T o mark its third year of highly productive science, astronomers used Webb to scratch beyond the surface of the Cat’s Paw Nebula (NGC 6334), a massive, local star-forming re- gion. This near-infrared view, which shows a portion of a singular “toe bean,” reveals a subset of mini toe bean-reminiscent structures composed of gas, dust, and young stars. [NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI]