Webb reveals oxygen-rich dust and water surviving near Milky Way's central black hole

AI Summary

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope discovered oxygen-rich dust and water near the Milky Way’s central black hole, Sagittarius A*. The evolved star IRS 3 has been observed to continuously enrich its surrounding environment despite intense radiation.

Using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, an international team of astronomers has discovered that dust and water can form and survive surprisingly close to the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy. The observations reveal that the evolved star IRS 3 continues to enrich its surroundings with newly formed material despite the intense radiation environment around Sagittarius A*.