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Hubble’s image shows FS Tau B, a newly forming star whose blue, double-sided jets stream from a disk of gas and dust seen nearly edge-on. The striking feature is not a beam of light: it is material expelled by the young star, with bright nebulosity forming where the jets strike surrounding gas and dust.
What does Hubble’s cosmic-lightshow image show?
The image captures the FS Tau system in the Taurus-Auriga star-forming region. FS Tau A appears near the middle; FS Tau B, also known as Haro 6-5B, is at the far right, partly hidden by a dark vertical lane of dust. NASA’s Hubble Mission Team published the image on March 25, 2024, and identifies FS Tau A as a T Tauri binary system.
FS Tau is roughly 450 light-years away. NASA estimates the system is about 2.8 million years old, compared with about 4.6 billion years for the Sun. These are approximate figures, not exact measurements. NASA’s Hubble image release credits NASA, ESA, and K. Stapelfeldt (NASA JPL), with image processing by Gladys Kober (NASA/Catholic University of America).
Why is there a dark lane beside FS Tau B?
FS Tau B is a protostar surrounded by a protoplanetary disk: a flattened reservoir of gas and dust left over from star formation. The disk is viewed nearly edge-on, so its thick, dark dust lane blocks light and divides what are thought to be the illuminated surfaces of the disk’s flare. The disk may eventually coalesce into planets, but the image does not show planets.
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NASA says FS Tau B is likely in the process of becoming a T Tauri star. That is a probable evolutionary stage, not a definitive classification in the release.
What are the blue jets around FS Tau B?
The blue streams are fast-moving jets of energized material expelled by the protostar. They extend on both sides of the young star, making the jet double-sided. NASA describes it as unusually asymmetric and suggests that the imbalance may reflect different rates of material being expelled in the two directions. The blue appearance does not mean the feature is a beam of visible light.
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- HOBBY MODEL KIT – Unassembled model packed in an envelope with easy to follow instructions. Ideal for ages 14 and up.
- NO GLUE OR SOLDER NEEDED – Parts can be easily clipped from the metal sheets. Tweezers are the recommended tool for bending and twisting the connection tabs.
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- FROM STEEL SHEETS TO 3D – Pop out the pieces and connect using tabs and holes. Includes illustrated instructions.
- HIGHLY DETAILED ETCHED MODEL – Display your 3D model once completed - collect and build them all.
Why does the jet create bright patches?
FS Tau B is a Herbig–Haro object. In such objects, ionized gas expelled by a young star crashes at high speed into nearby gas and dust. Those collisions produce bright patches of nebulosity, giving the image its luminous, turbulent appearance.
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