The protostellar system NGC 1333 IRAS 4A is the first textbook example of an hourglass-shaped magnetic field (shown by dashed red lines on this color-coded submillimeter image). The pear-shaped green and red region marks the locations of two still-forming stars. Gravity is pulling the gas and dust of this interstellar cloud clump inward, warping the magnetic field in the process. This image shows a region of about 980 light-years across. Image credit: J. Girart (CSIC-IEEC), R. Rao (ASIAA) and D. Marrone (CfA)
