Scientists say the question-mark-shaped structure seen in a new photo from the James Webb Space Telescope is likely the merger of two or more galaxies.
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J. DePasquale
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NASA, ESA, CSA,
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Topline:
The James Webb Space Telescope recently captured a stunning new image of what scientists call a pair of actively forming stars. But eagle-eyed viewers were quick to seize on an even tinier — and to some, more intriguing — detail at the very bottom of the frame: an orange formation in the unmistakable shape of a question mark, tail and all.
Why it matters: Scientists say the punctuation-shaped object appears to be two or more galaxies merging — the intense process through which galaxies collide (the Milky Way itself is the byproduct of one such merger).
Why it's a big deal: Galaxy mergers are actually a very common astrophysical phenomenon but we don't get the chance to see them very often.
The backstory: The photo — which is actually a composite of a half-dozen infrared images — went viral on social media sites like X and Reddit after the European Space Agency (one of the three agencies behind the telescope) shared it late last month, prompting the ESA to clarify weeks later that "it's not a hoax."
The James Webb Space Telescope recently captured a stunning new image of what scientists call a pair of actively forming stars.
But eagle-eyed viewers were quick to seize on an even tinier — and to some, more intriguing — detail at the very bottom of the frame: an orange formation in the unmistakable shape of a question mark, tail and all.
The photo — which is actually a composite of a half-dozen infrared images — went viral on social media sites like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit after the European Space Agency (one of the three agencies behind the telescope) shared it late last month, prompting the ESA to clarify weeks later that "it's not a hoax."
"The aliens know we've found them and now they're just messing with us," one Reddit user wrote.
The photo shows a tightly bound pair of young stars known as Herbig-Haro 46/47, surrounded by a disc of gas and dust, and dotted by distant galaxies and stars in the background.
ESA says Herbig-Haro 46/47 is important to study because it's "only a few thousand years old" — and since stars take millions of years to form, its young age offers researchers a chance to observe how stars gather mass over time (and to potentially model the formation of one of the most famous stars, the sun).
A new photo from the James Webb Space Telescope shows a tightly bound pair of actively forming stars (at the center of the red spikes). But many people are more curious about the question mark-shaped structure highlighted at the bottom middle of the frame.
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NASA, ESA, CSA, J. DePasquale (STScI)
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Even so, scientists acknowledge, it's not the only notable formation in the photo.
Macarena Garcia Marin, a Webb project scientist with the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore (which manages the telescope's science operations), told NPR in an email that the question mark is "a great example of how, with Webb, no matter what you are looking at, you can have surprises in the background."
And she has at least one theory for why it's resonating so much with people.
"I think we all enjoy finding familiar shapes in the sky; that creates a deep connection between our human experience and language in this case and the beauty of the Universe surrounding us," Garcia Marin writes. "I think this exemplifies the human need for exploration and wonder, and to me, it brings the question of how many other interesting objects are out there waiting to be explored with Webb."
So what exactly is it?
Scientists say the punctuation-shaped object appears to be two or more galaxies merging — the intense process through which galaxies collide (the Milky Way itself is the byproduct of one such merger).
An image from the Hubble telescope of compact galaxies known as Stephan''s Quintet, July 19, 2001. At least two of the galaxies have been involved in high-speed collisions which have ripped stars and gas from neighboring galaxies and caused the development of more than 100 star clusters and several dwarf galaxies. (Photo Courtesy of NASA/Getty Images)
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NASA
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"It looks like a group or a chance alignment of 2 or 3 galaxies," Kai Noeske, ESA communication program officer, said over email. "The upper part of the question mark looks like a distorted spiral galaxy, maybe merging with a second galaxy."
ESA study scientist Nora Luetzgendorf says that while it's too far away to say for sure, the arc of the question mark likely comes from the tidal interaction between the galaxies, "and the dot might as well be just a smaller spherical galaxy."
Galaxy mergers are actually a very common astrophysical phenomenon, she adds — even our own galaxy is interacting with its neighbor, the Andromeda galaxy. Garcia Marin similarly calls them "a normal phase in the life and evolution of galaxies."
But that doesn't mean we see them very often.
It's "all about projection," Garcia Marin explains. She says the reason we see the galaxies in a question mark shape is a result of both the angle with which they have encountered each other and our own point of view.
"This 'question mark' shape figure perfectly exemplifies projection effects when looking at the sky," she adds. "What we measure is a 2D image of a Universe that is filled with objects spanning time and space. We see their projection; that question mark-shaped object is much further away from us than HH 46/47 and it does not have a direct impact on it."
But she does note one interesting connection between the two phenomena.
In general, she says, the process of galaxies interacting with each other can trigger the formation of stars — "and objects like HH 46/47, the main subject of the image, could be born."
What can it teach us?
Galaxy mergers generate "all kinds of beautiful shapes and structures," Garcia Marin says — especially depending on the angle from which they are perceived.
One example is Stephan's Quintet, a visual grouping of five close-together galaxies located in the constellation Pegasus. It was one of the first images released from the Webb telescope last summer, showing a swirling cluster of stars and sweeping tails.
Luetzgendorf says images of some of the interacting galaxies closer by (relatively speaking), like the Whirlpool galaxy and Antennae galaxies, bear some resemblance to the structure people are talking about now.
This Chandra X-ray image released 16 August, 2000 by NASA shows the central regions of two galaxies known as the Antennae Galaxies in collision.
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NASA/NASA/AFP via Getty Images
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AFP
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"You can see the similarities and how from a different perspective and from farther away, this might look like a question mark," she adds.
Given that mergers are relatively common, and the new photos are really focused on the growing stars, is there anything new we can learn from the question mark hidden within? Garcia Marin thinks so.
"If this is a galaxy merger," she says, "its relevance would be to see how it fits in what we know about mergers and their importance for galaxy evolution."
The federal government under the Trump administration restricts SBA loans to immigrant business owners, shutting off an important resource to neighborhoods like Koreatown.
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Brian Feinzimer
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The LA Local
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A new partnership is connecting qualifying small business owners with interest-free loans of up to $50,000.
More details: The Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, KAFLA, recently partnered with the Jewish Free Loan Association to connect small business owners with interest-free loans of up to $50,000 that can be used for startup costs, rent, payroll, inventory, equipment and other business expenses.
Why now: In March, the U.S. Small Business Association changed its eligibility rules, excluding lawful permanent residents and requiring businesses seeking SBA-backed loans to be fully owned by U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals.
The Trump administration’s decision to restrict a vital loan program for small businesses to U.S. citizens has left some immigrant business owners searching for alternatives.
The Korean American Federation of Los Angeles, KAFLA, recently partnered with the Jewish Free Loan Association to connect small business owners with interest-free loans of up to $50,000 that can be used for startup costs, rent, payroll, inventory, equipment and other business expenses.
In March, the U.S. Small Business Association changed its eligibility rules, excluding lawful permanent residents and requiring businesses seeking SBA-backed loans to be fully owned by U.S. citizens or U.S. nationals.
Immigrant entrepreneurs are more likely than native-born Americans to start a business, according to research from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Nearly 40% of California’s small businesses are owned by immigrants, including 11% owned by undocumented entrepreneurs, according to the Bay Area Council Economic Institute. Nearly 60% of California’s 4.3 million small businesses, 60% are owned by entrepreneurs who are Hispanic, Black, Asian American, Pacific Islander or Native American.
“When times get tough, it’s resources like this that currently aren’t available to our committee that are much needed,” KAFLA president Robert Ahn said during an informational session last week.
Applicants must have steady income and meet certain credit requirements. Those seeking more than $10,000 generally need a credit score of at least 680. The program also requires one to three guarantors, depending on the loan amount.
Business owners can borrow up to $7,500 with one guarantor, up to $36,000 with two guarantors and as much as $50,000 with three guarantors.
Applicants must provide documentation including a recent tax return and proof of business licensing. The program accepts applicants with either a social security number or an individual taxpayer identification number, or ITIN.
Rachel Grose, JFLA’s executive director, said the online application takes about 10 minutes to complete. After the initial application is submitted, applicants are scheduled for a Zoom interview with JFLA staff.
Some business owners say the program could help fill a gap in access to capital.
Yong-ho Kim, president of the Korean American Food Industry Association and owner of the Japanese restaurant Arado, said many immigrant entrepreneurs have traditionally relied on bank financing to cover expenses and invest in their businesses.
“But the rules suddenly changed so that SBA loans are only available to citizens. There are many permanent residents, too,” Kim said. “Where are they supposed to borrow money to make up for the gaps?”
Kim acknowledged that the JFLA application process is more demanding than a traditional bank loan because of its guarantor requirements. Still, he says the absence of interest and fees makes it attractive.
Many businesses in the neighborhood, and across the city, are struggling with inflation and higher operating costs, he added.
“It’s very difficult right now,” he said. “Prices keep going up, and I’m constantly thinking about what I need to cut.”
Kim said he personally applied for the program’s maximum $50,000 loan, partly because he needs additional capital and partly because he wanted to experience the process himself before recommending it to others.
Ahn said the partnership grew out of conversations he had with David Horvitz, vice president of JFLA’s board of directors, during a trip to Israel earlier this year.
“We spent a lot of time together in Israel discussing economic issues, particularly the struggles many businesses in Koreatown are facing,” he said.
Founded in 1904, JFLA provides interest-free loans to residents of Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties.
More information about the program and application requirements is available at jfla.org.
The Los Angeles Unified School Board is tasked with securing the long-term fiscal health of the nation's second-largest school district.
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Kayla Bartkowski
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Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
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Topline:
The Los Angeles Unified School Board on Tuesday will consider its options for fiscal stability, and preview its budget for the next school year.
Why it matters: LAUSD leaders say that without change, the district could deplete its budget reserves within a few years. The board recently voted to finalize the elimination of more than 650 jobs.
What might be cut: The two most prominent items on the chopping block involve the district’s signature equity programs: the Student Equity Needs Index, which ensures dollars flow to schools with greater perceived needs, and the Black Student Achievement Plan.
Read on... for more on the programs that might be cut, and what to know about the board meeting.
When the Los Angeles Unified School Board voted in May to finalize the elimination of more than 650 jobs as part of a plan to cut spending, its leaders promised more painful decisions would be necessary.
On June 16, another one of those choices arrives, as the school board will consider a fiscal stabilization plan to address multiple years of deficit spending.
The most recent forecast predicts a $1.3 billion deficit in the 2027-28 school year and a $3.6 billion deficit in the 2028-29 school year. (California requires schools to plan budgets for three years at a time.)
Perhaps the two most prominent items on the chopping block involve signature equity programs: the Student Equity Needs Index, which ensures dollars flow to schools with greater perceived needs, and the Black Student Achievement Plan.
The proposed cuts to these programs, and others, would likely result in thousands of layoffs in the coming years.
In a board meeting on Friday, community members called attention to what they said was a major transgression on the horizon.
“We’ve heard this district talk repeatedly about standing for equity. This is an opportunity for you all to put your money where your mouth is … ,” said Joseph Williams of the advocacy group Students Deserve, who also sits on the steering committee for BSAP. “A budget is a moral document. Please stand with the most marginalized students in this district.”
School leaders say that without change, the district could deplete its budget reserves within a few years.
“Our fiscal stabilization efforts are designed to protect the district's ability to serve students today and in the years ahead,” said Acting Superintendent Andres Chait during a May board meeting.
What is a fiscal stabilization plan?
California law gives county school superintendents the power to intervene when districts are at risk of not meeting their financial obligations. One of these interventions is the creation of a “roadmap” to address a budget deficit, called a fiscal stabilization plan. The Los Angeles County Office of Education advises districts to show what factors are straining the budget and include strategies to reduce spending, increase revenue and temporarily spend reserves or one-time funding.
The board’s approval of the fiscal stabilization plan does not automatically enact all of the cuts the plan proposes. Actions such as eliminating jobs often require further board votes and the plan can be revised throughout the next year.
It’s also possible that additional state funding, including revenue from investments in AI, could offset some of the proposed cuts.
What is the Student Equity Needs Index?
The annual fund known as SENI is distributed to LAUSD schools based on several factors, including academic outcomes, rates of chronic absenteeism and the health and levels of violence in surrounding communities.
SENI debuted in 2018, offering school principals discretionary funding to target interventions toward students with the greatest needs. Originally $350 million, the board doubled SENI in 2021 while flush with COVID relief money — which is now gone.
“Reducing and eliminating SENI means fewer everything,” Griselda Perez, a mom of two current LAUSD students, told the board on June 12. “Counselors, tutors, less mental health and destruction of the progress that we fought for a decade ago.”
What is the Black Student Achievement Plan?
The Black Student Achievement Plan is a $125 million fund distributed primarily to schools that serve higher numbers of Black students. The LAUSD board voted to create BSAP in 2021 with the goal of closing gaps in academic outcomes between Black students and their peers.
Mariah Williams, a new graduate of San Pedro High School attending UCLA this fall, spoke to the board Friday in her graduation robe. She said she wanted the board to see what investment looks like.
“[Programs like BSAP] provide mentorship, advocacy, college readiness support, mental health support and opportunities that help students succeed,” she said, adding that when schools dismantle such programs, they advance an agenda that undermines efforts to improve outcomes for Black students.
What will the board decide at its June 16 meeting?
The board is slated to vote on the fiscal stabilization plan, and it will also take public comment on a separate budget measure and its Local Control and Accountability Plan. (The LCAP is a state-mandated plan that outlines how the district will support student success.)
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Suzanne Levy
is a senior editor on the Explore LA team, where she oversees food, LA Explained and other feature stories.
Published June 15, 2026 8:20 PM
Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard foundation, speaks onstage during the 2026 James Beard Restaurant And Chef Awards in Chicago.
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Daniel Boczarski
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Getty Images
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Topline:
Several Los Angeles heavy-hitters were recognized in the James Beard 2026 awards, the Oscars of the food world, which were handed out Monday night in Chicago. Dave Beran of Seline in Santa Monica won Best chef for California, Providence won Outstanding Hospitality, and Kato won Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program.
Why it matters: Similar to the Oscars, winning can lead to an instant boost in reservations and bragging rights. While three of L.A.'s restaurants were recognized, however, the city lost out in key categories like Outstanding and Emerging chef.
Who else was honored: Nancy Silverton won a Lifetime Achievement award, Inglewood legacy restaurant Silver Spoon was honored with an America's Classics award, and L.A. nonprofit, No Us Without You, was awarded Humanitarian of the Year.
Several Los Angeles heavy-hitters were recognized in the James Beard 2026 awards, the Oscars of the food world, which were handed out Monday night in Chicago.
Best Chef in California
Dave Beran, of Seline in Santa Monica, won Best Chef in California. The chef, who got Jeremy Allen White camera-ready for The Bear, said operating a restaurant in disaster-prone L.A. is hard.
"You name the problem every year.... whether it's fires so on and so forth. So to stay culture and goal-focused and believe in what we're doing even though I'm sure there are paths that probably would have been more profitable ... [the award] means a lot," Beran said.
Chef Dave Beran of Pasjoli and Seline in Santa Monica.
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John Troxell
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Beran, who also owns Pasjoli nearby, offers a 16-22 course tasting menu at Seline for $295.
Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program
While L.A. was eclipsed in some key categories, like Outstanding Chef, Emerging Chef and Best New Restaurant, it picked up awards in others. Kato, the one-star Michelin restaurant in DTLA, won the Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program. Ryan Bailey, sommelier and co-owner, told the audience in his acceptance speech that their vision was all about inclusion.
It was important that "no matter what was in your glass you were raising to cheer, you felt equal” at the bar.
Outstanding Hospitality
Meanwhile Providence, the three-star Michelin restaurant on Melrose that's celebrating its 21st anniversary this week, won Outstanding Hospitality. Co-owner and General Manager Donato Poto joked that in the restaurant world, its longevity puts it "somewhere between middle age and a miracle."
Kim Stoler, beverage director at Providence restaurant on Melrose, mixes the Electric margarita made table side.
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Josh Letona
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LAist
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With a 1:1 customer to staff ratio, Poto said that exceptional service "is not something that can be scripted or manufactured, but rather is the result of a team united by a shared commitment to care, humility, and excellence."
Other SoCal honors
In a ceremony that was part celebration and part a passionate plea for recognition of the role of immigrants in the food industry, the contributions of other Angelenos were also honored.
Silver Spoon, the legendary soul food restaurant in Inglewood, was recognized with a James Beard America's Classics award, given to "locally owned restaurants with timeless appeal."
Local icon Nancy Silverton was awarded a Lifetime Achievement award. However, she said, “This award doesn’t mean I’m going anywhere … because I have nowhere to go. And mark my words I will be back there to receive my lifetime achievement award 2.0. “
A local nonprofit, No Us Without You, was awarded Humanitarian of the Year. Started by chefs Othón Nolasko and Damián Diaz to provide food relief to hospitality workers during the pandemic, six years later, it's pivoted to also serve food at home to families affected by ICE raids.
Officials have issued evacuation orders and warnings for residents near the Max Fire, which broke out late Monday afternoon.
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Topline:
A fire near Stevenson Ranch Monday afternoon prompted evacuation orders and warnings before firefighters were able to stop its forward progress hours later at 6:25 p.m. The Max Fire, which was reported at about 4:20 p.m., has so far burned 45 acres, according to the L.A. County Fire Department.
What we know so far: The fire is located just west of the 5 Freeway in Pico Canyon Park, near Stevenson Ranch Parkway, according to Cal Fire.
Read on ... for more on evacuation orders and warnings.
This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:
A fire near Stevenson Ranch Monday afternoon prompted evacuation orders and warnings before firefighters were able to stop its forward progress hours later at 6:25 p.m. The Max Fire, which was reported at about 4:20 p.m., has so far burned 45 acres, according to the L.A. County Fire Department.
The fire is located just west of the 5 Freeway in Pico Canyon Park, near Stevenson Ranch Parkway, according to Cal Fire.
Mandatory evacuation orders were issued for parts of the communities of Southern Oaks and Sunset Pointe, including the Laing-Brookefield Open Space. Parts of Valencia and Newhall are under evacuation warnings.
The basics
Acreage: 45 acres as of 6:25 p.m. Monday
Containment: 0%
Structures destroyed: None reported
Deaths: None
Injuries: 0
Personnel working on fire: Not immediately available
Authorities say those who require additional time to evacuate and those with pets and livestock should leave immediately.
What we know so far
The Max Fire broke out about 4:20 p.m. west of Stevenson Ranch. It's currently 0% contained.
It's among several fires in recent days, including the Hazel Fire near Lancaster, which burned 66 acres Monday before the L.A. County Fire Department said crews had stopped forward progress of the fire. Evacuation warnings for nearby residents are still in place for that fire. LAist media partner CBS LA reports aerial footage showed a few structures on fire.
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