NASA’s Webb Telescope Reveals Hidden Protostars and Cosmic Fireworks in FS Tau Star System

On July 2, 2026, NASA released a stunning new infrared image of the FS Tau star system captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. The release was timed to coincide with the U.S. 250th anniversary Independence Day celebrations, and Webb’s instruments pierced through thick cosmic dust that had blocked visible-light views from the Hubble Space Telescope, revealing a rich tapestry of previously hidden features .

Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) exposed structures Hubble could not see, and NASA also released a side-by-side comparison of the Webb and Hubble views of FS Tau .

What Webb Revealed in FS Tau

Protostars and Powerful Outflows

The image reveals multiple protostars in the system, including FS Tau A — a pair of protostars that form the largest diffraction spike pattern — and FS Tau B, an orange protostar located slightly right of center . FS Tau B is thought to be responsible for the orange and red outflows that appear as wisps and wide sheets of gas actively shaping the surrounding dusty environment .

Fireworks-Like Dust Structures

The intricate dust and gas structures scatter infrared light, creating a display that NASA compares to fireworks for the nation’s 250th birthday .

Myriad Background Galaxies

Beyond the FS Tau system, the image is filled with numerous distant yellow and white galaxies scattered across the black background of space, bursting into view thanks to Webb’s sensitivity .

System Composition and Age

The protostars in FS Tau are about 1 to 3 million years old — very young compared to our Sun’s 4.6 billion years . FS Tau A has about half the mass of our Sun . The system lies approximately 390 light-years from Earth in the direction of the Taurus-Auriga molecular clouds .

Scientific Value: A Laboratory for Low-Mass Star Formation

Because these are low-mass protostars, they disrupt their environment less than higher-mass stars, making FS Tau an ideal laboratory for studying low-mass star formation without the interference seen near more massive stars . This release marks Webb’s fourth year of transforming the understanding of star formation.