It’s not everyday that you see a galactic seahorse or The Ring Nebula, also known as Messier 57, quite like this. NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope captured this image of the nebula, located 2,600 light-years away, that was born from a dying star that expelled its outer layers into space.
After the event, several shapes and patterns formed including glowing rings, expanding bubbles as well as wispy clouds. Astronomers believe these are caused by the complex interplay of physical processes not well understood yet. However, we do see the radiation from the hot central star lighting up these layers, similar to a fireworks show here on Earth, while different chemical elements in the nebula emit light of specific colors.
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The James Webb Space Telescope has provided us with an extraordinary view of the Ring Nebula that we’ve never seen before. The high-resolution images not only showcase the intricate details of the nebula’s expanding shell but also reveal the inner region around the central white dwarf in exquisite clarity. We are witnessing the final chapters of a star’s life, a preview of the Sun’s distant future so to speak, and JWST’s observations have opened a new window into understanding these awe-inspiring cosmic events,” said Dr Mike Barlow, Lead Scientist of the JWST Ring Nebula Project.
