Herbig-Haro 30 in the Taurus Molecular Cloud

A young star is taking shape in this detailed view of HH 30, a protoplanetary disc seen edge-on within the Taurus Molecular Cloud. The disc is illuminated by its hidden central star, which is obscured behind dense dust and gas. From one side of the disc, a narrow jet of material shoots outward, glowing where shockwaves heat the gas into light. This jet marks HH 30 as a Herbig-Haro object—a signpost of stellar birth and outflowing energy.

Astronomers have studied HH 30 for decades as a prototype for edge-on discs, which offer a unique cross-section of how material settles and drifts during planet formation. Webb’s infrared view, combined with Hubble and ALMA data, allows scientists to distinguish tiny, micron-sized dust grains from larger, millimeter-sized ones.

These observations reveal that larger grains concentrate in a thin, dense layer, while smaller particles remain more widely distributed. This settling of dust marks an early step toward building planets. Surrounding the disc, a cone-shaped outflow and a faint nebula reflect the light of the young star, capturing the motion and complexity of a planetary system in the making.