NASA releases composite view of Westerlund 2 star cluster
New image from March 2026 highlights X-ray and infrared emissions from stars aged one to three million years, located 20,000 light-years from Earth.
NASA released a composite image of the Westerlund 2 star cluster on 19 March 2026, integrating data from the Chandra X-ray Observatory and the James Webb Space Telescope. The image provides a detailed view of the region, which is situated 20,000 light-years from Earth within the constellation Carina.
The composite visualises the cluster by mapping X-ray data in pink and infrared data in a spectrum of red, orange, green, cyan, and blue. This colour mapping highlights the interaction between high-energy emissions and the surrounding interstellar medium, offering a multi-wavelength perspective on the area.
Westerlund 2 is located within the Gum 29 nebula, an active stellar nursery. The stars within the cluster are relatively young, with ages estimated between one and three million years. The image captures scores of these stars, which appear ringed in pink due to the X-ray data overlay.
Brick-orange dust clouds are visible along the bottom edge of the frame, illustrating the raw materials contributing to ongoing star formation in the region. The combination of data allows astronomers to study the dynamics of this "raucous stellar breeding ground" with greater clarity than single-instrument observations permit.
Image credits for the X-ray data are attributed to NASA/CXC/SAO/Sejong Univ./Hur et al, while the JWST data is credited to ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, V. Almendros-Abad, M. Guarcello, K. Monsch, and the EWOCS team. Image processing was conducted by NASA/CXC/SAO/L. Frattare and K. Arcand.
