Webb's "Cosmic Cliffs"

The Cosmic Cliffs compose the border of an enormous hollowed-out region within NGC 3324, about 7,600 light-years away. Intense ultraviolet light and stellar winds from the massive hot stars inside the central bubble have carved out the gaseous cavity, slowly sculpting and eroding the nebula's wall. Hundreds of previously cloaked stars, along with a myriad of background galaxies, are revealed in the image thanks to the high resolution and unprecedented capabilities of Webb’s NIRcam. The apparent rising "steam" from the celestial "mountains" is, in reality, hot ionized gas and heated dust flowing away from the nebula as a result of intense ultraviolet radiation. Dramatic pillars ascend above the glowing wall of gas, resisting the powerful ultraviolet radiation from the young stars. Golden protostellar jets and outflows emerge from dust-covered, newly formed stars. At the central summit of the ridge, a "blow-out" occurs, releasing gas and dust into the interstellar medium.