Runaway stars could influence the cosmos far past their home galaxies

Dozens of stars speeding from a satellite galaxy suggest escapees are common

Swirling, diffuse tendrils of orange, yellow and white gas on a backdrop of stars

The Tarantula nebula, shown in this image from the James Webb Space Telescope, is home to the massive star cluster R136, from which 55 high-velocity stars were caught speeding away.

Webb ERO Production Team, STScI/NASA, ESA, CSA

Dozens of fugitive stars were caught fleeing a dense star cluster in a satellite galaxy of the Milky Way.