A background aim in the latest image fromJWSTis sure enough puzzling – and not just metaphorically . It is shaped like a elephantine interrogative sentence mark . The aim is most potential a removed coltsfoot interact , lead in a shape that reminds us of a question mark .

The aim is a literal smudge below the focus of the picture : Herbig - Haro 46/47 . This is a pair of young sensation that have been studied for decennium . They are locate at the edge of a dark nebula , so when observed with seeable sparkle they might not look as highfalutin . But JWST ’s infrared center was able to peer through those bed , revealing so much more about the surroundings of these two babe stars .

JWST has such a sharp view of the universe that it was able to snap screen background objects , most of them galaxies , in this observation . Anything without the characteristic six spoke is something that consist far beyond our Galax urceolata , and among them , there is the motion mark .

![Red jets of gas are seen spuritng from a small region where two young stars resise over a blue nebula. lots of galaxies and stars are seen behind the nebula and around it. A green circle off the side of the nebula show several galaxies including one shaped like a question mark](https://assets.iflscience.com/assets/articleNo/70075/iImg/69705/MicrosoftTeams-image (110).png)

The cosmic question mark was found in this region of the most recent JWST image.Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA / Image Processing Joseph DePasquale (STScI), Anton M. Koekemoer (STScI)

A likely explanation for the special figure is that the physical object is a galaxy merger , either well underway or one where two galaxy have get down interacting . We fuck several twain in the local creation like this . One famous good example is the Mice Galaxies .

The system is likely far away . Galaxy unification have a lot of new star constitution so they tend to be “ bluer ” in color due to the more energetic Light Within emit by young star . This does not seem the case for this object , although sometimes dust in the object or in the foreground can mess up this ruler of pollex .

It is unclear if there will be a follow - up on this " ? " object – JWST has a packed schedulebut it would be coolheaded one day to encounter out exactly what this question mark is .

two colliding galaxies with long tails of material stretching in a thin line behind them like a mouse tail

The interacting galaxy pair known as the Mice Galaxies.Image Credit: NASA, H. Ford (JHU), G. Illingworth (UCSC/LO), M.Clampin (STScI), G. Hartig (STScI), the ACS Science Team, and ESA

[ H / T : Space.com ]