JWST Reveals Intricate Details of the “Cat’s Head” Nebula
A new mid‑infrared image from the James Webb Space Telescope shows the striking “cat’s head” shape sculpted by massive stars in Carina.
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope delivered a stunning mid‑infrared image of the Cat’s Head Nebula, released on Oct. 29, 2026.
Intricate structures within the nebula glow in the new view, thanks to image processing by Joseph DePasquale at the Space Telescope Science Institute.
The nebula’s iconic “cat’s head” shape is thought to have been carved over time by the intense ultraviolet radiation and powerful winds from massive stars in the nearby Carina Nebula.
As this stellar feedback erodes surrounding gas and dust, the denser material inside the feline‑shaped pillar remains resistant, preserving the eerie silhouette—for now.
Image credit goes to NASA, ESA, CSA, and STScI.
