NASA has turned one of James Webb Space Telescope’s first images—captured in July 2022—into a detailed 3D visualisation called "Exploring the Cosmic Cliffs in 3D." It reveals new dimensions of a breathtaking star-forming region in deep space.
The Cosmic Cliffs appear like mountains and valleys, but are actually part of Gum 31, a nebula within the Carina Nebula Complex. The cliffs showcase the young star cluster NGC 3324 forming amidst clouds of gas and dust.
The “steam” rising from the cliffs is not mist but hot, ionised gas streaming away due to intense ultraviolet radiation from massive young stars—essentially the stellar version of erosion.
Sharp viewers can spot bright yellow arcs and streaks in the visualisation. These represent outflows—jets of material—from stars still forming within the dense parts of the nebula.
In the later part of the visual journey, NASA zooms past a prominent protostellar jet located at the upper right of the image—giving a close look at star formation in action.
Frank Summers of STScI, who led the visualisation effort, said the 3D model helps the public develop a better mental image of the universe, adding depth and structure to what was originally a 2D capture.
The JWST is NASA’s most powerful space observatory, aimed at uncovering mysteries of the early universe, spotting exoplanets, and exploring the birth of stars and galaxies—like those shown in the Cosmic Cliffs.