The Chemistry in Stellar Nurseries is Complex, and a New 3D Model Highlights It

Young stars form in molecular clouds, and once they're turned on, they begin to shape their natal clouds with radiation. Researchers developed a new 3D model of one feature of the Orion Nebula star-forming region called the Orion Bar. Their model matches JWST observations, and explains how the uneven structure in stellar nurseries creates shadowed regions that alters the astrochemistry in the clouds.