JWST captures star-forming nebula N159 in the Large Magellanic Cloud

The James Webb Space Telescope has imaged the star-forming region N159, 161,000 light-years away in the Milky Way's satellite galaxy the Large Magellanic Cloud. The 230-light-year-wide nebula, less than 3 million years old, shows ionized hydrogen and reddish molecular hydrogen filaments hiding young stars.

• N159 lies 161,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud
• The nebula spans 230 light-years and is under 3 million years old
• Its lower metal content mirrors conditions of the early universe
• Orange PAH clouds may hold up to 30% of all carbon in the universe