Thomas Carpentier

@thocarp

PhD Researcher at the EUI in Firenze, studying the history of the European Space Agency. Processing space telescopes data for fun 28 He/him

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Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· 8d

A foretaste for what's to come tomorrow... 👀🔭 This is my processed image of the Eskimo Planetary Nebula (NGC-2392) using data from an old Hubble observation. We may hear more about this planetary nebula tomorrow hehe

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· 18d

And here's the extent of my whole collection, with *so* many Barça, Spain, and Argentina shirts 😎 Messi made me fall in love with football and Barcelone, but this love cost me so many euros and tears....

My whole collection of shirts on hangers, dozens of them...

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· 18d

I never talk about football here, but today I received the new Barcelona shirts and I am so so happy with them (the away kit is a stunner!) 🥰

A picture of the front of the two new FC Barcelona shirts: the home kit on the left, with usual blue and red stripes; the away shirt on the right with black and purple colours

The back of the shirts: Pedri n°8 on the home shirt; Lamine Yamal n°10 on the away one

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· 25d

I processed this observation using the data obtained through the 5408 proposal, led by Dr. Megan Reiter (www.stsci.edu/jwst-program...) Here are other images that I processed using data from that program:

HH-901 seen by the JWST. It looks like some thin orange pillars emerging from a denser gas cloud formation. Hundreds of stars can be spotted in the background.

HH-666 seen by the JWST. The gas formation looks like a orange dragon with its head pointing to the right hand side of the image. Hundreds of stars can be seen in the background

HH-903 seen by the JWST. A compact gas cloud on the left from what emerges like a long finger where new stars are being born. Dozens of stars can be seen in the background.

HH-900 seen by the JWST. It looks like a orange mountain range emerging from the bottom part of the image. On the right hand side of the image is located a red gas cloud formation looking like an oval bubble.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· 25d

The JWST will never cease to amaze me... 🔭 This is the HH-1019 region, in the Orion Nebula, and everything here is incredible! I suspect there even is a planetary nebula on this image, which looks amazing! (It really looks like NGC-6072 to me) HD: flic.kr/p/2sqVKuS

HH-1019 seen by the JWST/NIRCam. A huge orange gas cloud formation can be seen on the left part of the image, from where some smaller gas cloud are "ejected". Some objects looking like blobs can also be spotted: small gas cloud chunk from where stars are born! In the bottom middle part of the image, a planetary nebula can be seen: the remnant of a small/medium size star that died and slowly ejecting its outer layers.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Jul 7

It has been a long time since I posted new pictures (who would've thought that doing a PhD was that time-consuming??), but here are two JWST pictures of Centaurus A! 🔭 A NIRCam picture of the full galaxy (you probably have seen the press release yesterday!), and a focus on the nucleus by MIRI

A vertical view of a lenticular or elliptical galaxy by the JWST in near-infrared wavelength. The gas structures are seen in red and orange colours, stretching from the top of the image to the bottom. In the middle lies the centre of the galaxy, looking really bright as this galaxy hosts an active galactical nucleus. Many nebulae of the galaxy can be spotted here and there, with stars in the galaxy appearing like small dots.

The centre of that same galaxy in mid-infrared wavelength as seen by the JWST. The gas in the galaxy appears like a fluffy ensemble in orange and yellow-ish colours. The AGN is appearing as bright as in the other picture.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· May 7

How to describe this with words?.. 🔭 This is the W51A region, some 17,000 light years away from us, as seen by the JWST/NIRCam. I loved every second that I spent processing this image, and I think you can clearly see why! HD & credits: flic.kr/p/2sbFB4i

Infrared observation of a star forming region, full of gas. Most of the gases appear in red, orange, and yellow colours. Red stripes of gas appear in the forefront of the structure, while blue and white areas appear inside of it. Hundreds of stars can be seen in the background

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Apr 23

Bona Diada de Sant Jordi a tothom! 🌹🐉 This is the best tradition in my own opinion: people gifting themselves roses and books, so much beauty into that! So here's my own-processed gift: a cosmic rose seen by Hubble, the well known Arp 273 merger! 🔭

Two galaxies merging looking exactly like a rose (the bottom galaxy being the peduncle, the upper one being the pistil and the petals) seen in visible light. Dozens of background galaxies can be spotted as well.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Apr 4

Here's a picture of my friend's dog yo cheer you up! She really loves space science in her own way too And my friend called her Cassiopeia, because she loves that constellation, she is a space dog through-and-through!

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Apr 3

My processed image of the JWST observation of Sharpless 305, a star-forming region inside our Milky Way! 🔭 This emission nebula is located ~14,000 light-years away, with several dozens of Young Stellar Objects (YSOs) having been discovered inside this nebula. HD: flic.kr/p/2s5qkHF

A gigantic gas cloud seen in infrared spreading across the entire image. The gas appears mostly in orange, although a blue-ish veil can be spotted in the area where new born stars pushed the gas away. Hundreds of stars can be spotted as well, mostly appearing in blue. On the top-left corner, a huge star can be seen with gas probably being pushed away.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Mar 21

I welcome you to the heart of the Carina Nebula! 🔭 These are the HH1159-HH1164 protostars inside the Carina Nebula as seen by the JWST, using data obtained through the 5408 program led by Dr. Megan Reiter. These patches look like cosmic jellyfishes if you ask me! HD: flic.kr/p/2s3ieDg

Red patches of gas looking like jellyfishes seen in infrared light. A red and grey veil of gas can also be spotted in the entire image. The background is full of stars and galaxies.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Mar 3

Here are the two black and white images that I used: the first is the Euclid/VIS one, the second is the JWST/MIRI one. 🔭 That planetary nebula is so incredible in every wavelength 💙

The black and white image of the Euclid/VIS data.

The black and white image of the JWST/MIRI data.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Mar 3

Seeing this beautiful picture reminded me of an earlier JWST observation of the same nebula, during its calibration days in 2022. So I went on to combine the Euclid's VIS data with this single MIRI filter (F560W) to create this image! 🔭

The Cat's Eye Nebula picture combining Euclid/VIS (visible light) and JWST/MIRI (mid-infrared) data. At the very centre lies the dying star, appearing like a bright dot. The nebula itself looks, as its name hints, like an eye. The expanding gas is appearing brownish, orange and blue.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Feb 25

I was waiting all day for the data release of those observations, I am clearly not disappointed!🔭 This is the Cranium Nebula, a planetary nebula, as seen by the JWST with NIRCam (l) and MIRI (r). Processing this data was so fun, this plan. nebula is incredible! HD: flic.kr/p/2rYiLSJ

The slow death of a star seen in infrared. The star is ejecting its outer layers at a slow pace, creating what looks like an expecting bubble of gas. The material ejected by the star is appearing as orange/red here, looking like a skull (hence its name). Dozens of stars in our galaxy and background galaxies can be spotted everywhere around it (and even behind it!).

The same planetary nebula seen in mid-infrared. The skull and the bubble are still clearly visible.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Feb 2

This is one of my favorite JWST observation ever! 🔭 💙 This is HH288, a star heavier than the Sun being born in front of our eyes! The jets are the result of that process. There is even another star being born near it, as the perpendicular jets are showing. HD: flic.kr/p/2rUKqvx

$Two jets, appearing red and violet, being ejected by a central protostar, hidden behind gas. The jets are extending to the left and right parts of the image. Two perpendicular thinner jets can be seen as well, coming from another protostar. Hundreds of stars can be seen in the background of the image, appearing like bright dots with the JWST trademark diffraction spikes.$

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Jan 19

Clearly not as impressive as the images of Northern Europe, but still impressive to catch auroras in Fiesole/Florence, Italy 🔭 🥰 My very first auroras in 28 years, I'm really moved right now 🥺

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Jan 16

It has been a long time since I posted a picture here, so here's one to make it up! 🔭 This is the PGC 50779 galaxy, also known as the Circinus Galaxy, located some 13 million light-years away from us. HD: flic.kr/p/2rS7tjZ

The centre part of a spiral galaxy where the middle is extremely bright, where the supermassive black hole is located. The middle is surrounded by rings of gas, appearing in darker coulours (mostly red and orange). Some blue gas part can be seen drifting away from the middle as the galaxy is ejecting waves of gas because of its activity.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Dec 30

And now the MIRI version! 🔭 The observation was made during the night, and just like with NIRCam, the fragments and the tail are beautiful! HD: flic.kr/p/2rPp5EV

Another infrared observation of the C/2025 K1 comet, seen by the JWST/MIRI. On the left, the main part of the comet, seen as a bright dot, and its coma. On the right, two small dots which are fragments of the comet.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Dec 29

I am not really good with this kind of observation, but here's my processed version of the JWST observation of the C/2025 K1 comet, which was made today! 🔭 The multiple fragments are clearly visible there, in full beauty HD: flic.kr/p/2rPhQUz

An infrared observation of a comet, C/2025 K1, seen by the JWST. On the left, the main part of the comet, seen as a bright dot, and its coma. On the right, two small dots which are fragments of the comet.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Dec 20

Here's to celebrate the end of my first term as a PhD Researcher! 🔭 🎉 This is the Pismis 24 star cluster as seen by the JWST, processed by me! It is located some 6,500 light years away, and it's part of the NGC-6357 nebula. HD: flic.kr/p/2rMPcYg

A gas cloud seen in infrared light. Near the upper-centre part of the image, a pillar-like structure, just like a finger, can be seen, with a young star at the tip of it. The gas composing the cloud appears in red and orange colours. From top left to top right, a veil of gas can also be spotted, in beige and red colours. It is in the background of that cloud. Dozens of stars cna be spotted as well, with a big one on the centre-bottom part, carving around it the gas cloud thanks to its stellars winds.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Dec 1

Putting a spiral galaxy in your TL just for the sake of it! 🔭 This is the NGC-4569/M90 galaxy as seen by Hubble and processed by me. It is located some 60M light years away from us! HD: flic.kr/p/2rJqjVV

A spiral galaxy seen in visible light. The centre is extremely bright, while the arms appear in red and orange. Inside the arms some blue areas can be spotted. These areas are clusters of stars! On the left part of the image, a part of one of the arms appears like going up.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Nov 26

Look what arrived today! 👀 🔭 This is the October 2025 issue of "Reflets de la Physique" with an image that I processed on its cover, and the book "Onbegrensd Universum" written by @govertschilling.nl with two images of mine inside! 😎

On the left handside: the issue October 2025 of the French journal "Reflets de la Physique" with a nebula picture on its cover.
On the right handside: the "Onbegrensd Universum" book, written by Govert Schilling.

Two images inside this book, processed by me 😎

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Nov 21

A stellar nursery at its finest! 🔭 This is LHA120-N159 region in the LMC as seen by the JWST one year ago. It is home to MANY new born stars and many more to come! I was in awe with how beautiful this region is while I was processing these data earlier this morning! HD: flic.kr/p/2rGG32u

A large portion of a gas cloud seen in infrared light. Most of the cloud appears in red, orange and yellow colours. Some sort of cavities can be seen in the cloud, being brighter and in blue: this is where large stars being born have pushed away the gas around them. Hundreds of small dots can be spotted everywhere, being stars in the LMC galaxy around and in the observed region.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Nov 18

A few days before ESA's Ministerial, this is really huge! 🔭 In 2023, Canada's budget for ESA was €34M for instance. www.canada.ca/en/space-age...

November 18, 2025 - Longueuil
Quebec

Today, at the SpaceBound 2025
Conference, the Honourable Mélanie Joly
Minister of Industry and Minister
responsible for Canada Economic
Development for Quebec Regions, made
he historic announcement that Canada
will increase its investment to Europear
Space Agency (ESA) programs by
$528.5 million. This investment
represents a tenfold increase compared
to previous contributions and is set ta
advance research and development of
Canadian-made space technologies for
poth civilian and defence purposes. It wil
help build an industrial base that is ready
and capable of supporting Canada's
tommercial, defence and security needs.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Nov 15

A really nice book by the way! I bought it at the shop in the Galileo Museum in Firenze, and I really don't regret that purchase 👏

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Nov 2

Recently I started to learn how to obtain and process data from Herschel, a former ESA space telescope (2009-13). Here's an image from one observation of that telescope! 🔭 This is the Eagle Nebula seen in infrared, and if you zoom in: the Pillars of Creation are there! HD: flic.kr/p/2rD4JDu

An infrared observation of a dense gas cloud region, the Eagle Nebula. The whole image is covered by the gas, mostly appearing orange and blue. On the right hand side of the image lie the Pillars of Creation: three finger-like gas formations, looking like a claw. Some bright dots can be spotted as well: stars being born in that region!

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Oct 31

A JWST wonder, once again! 🔭 This is the image of the NGC-2440 planetary nebula as seen by the JWST one year ago, that I processed last night! Look how wonderful that thing is 😍 And if you zoom on the centre, you can see a little dot which is suspect is the white dwarf! HD: flic.kr/p/2rCzjR1

The NGC-2440 planetary nebula seen in infrared light. The outer part looks like a bubble that is expanding in every directions, appearing mostly in grey and violet colours. In the middle of that bubble lie the outer layers, appearing in orange, of the dead star being pushed away, mostly towards the right and left side of the bubble. In the very centre of that lies a little white dot, which I suspect is the remnant of the dead star: the white dwarf. Several stars and far away galaxies can be spotted in the background.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Oct 22

Achievement of the day: one of my images on the cover of a French journal, "Les Reflets de la Physique" 😎 🔭 A big thank you to @oliberne.bsky.social who made it possible!

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Oct 19

The violent beauty of stars being born in full display thanks to the JWST! 🔭 This is the region around the HOPS-108 protostar in the Orion Nebula. There are so many beautiful jets produced by baby stars tantrum 🤩 HD: flic.kr/p/2rAgnuW

A gas region seen in infrared light. At the centre of the image lies a protostar creating jets. Other jets can be spotted in the image. The gas appears brown and blue where there is no star; orange, red and violet where stars are.

Thomas Carpentier@thocarp· Oct 13

Welcome to Westerhout 3 (or W3) as seen by the JWST! 🔭 This is just a small part of the giant molecular cloud, which is itself located 6,000 light years away from us. It is actively producing new massive stars at a high rate! HD: flic.kr/p/2rz8d85