James Webb telescope spies a monstrous molecular cloud shrouded in mystery — Space photo of the week

JWST's view of the Sagittarius B2 region in near-infrared light. (Image credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Adam Ginsburg (University of Florida), Nazar Budaiev (University of Florida), Taehwa Yoo (University of Florida); Image Processing: Alyssa Pagan (STScI))

QUICK FACTS

What it is: Sagittarius B2 molecular cloud

Where it is: Roughly 26,000 light-years from Earth,, in the constellation Sagittarius

When it was shared: Sept. 24, 2025

Stars form in molecular clouds — molecular clouds — regions that are cold, dense, rich in molecules and filled with dust. One enormous cloud responsible for forming half of the stars in the Milky Way's central region is the Sagittarius B2 (Sgr B2) molecular cloud, located a few hundred light-years from our central supermassive black hole.