Webb Reveals Intricate Details in the Remains of a Dying Star (NIRCam image)
There’s just one Ring Nebula to rule them all. Now Webb has turned its eye on this popular target, revealing the complexity of its structure in unprecedented detail — as well the possibility that the dying star at its center has a companion.
Shown here are two views of this nebula, one taken by Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the left, and one taken by its Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on the right. MIRI provided the sharpest and clearest view of the faint halo outside the bright ring. Physical features within suggest there may be a companion star helping to sculpt the layers thrown off by the dying star.
The Ring Nebula is a “planetary nebula,” originally named for having a planet-like appearance through small telescopes. In actuality, planetary nebulae are the remains of a star’s death throes. And while the Ring Nebula resembles a ring when seen face-on, it's more of a donut shape (a torus) when viewed in three dimensions!
Learn more: blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2023/08/21/webb-reveals-intricate-det...
This image: This new image from Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) shows intricate details of the filament structure of the inner ring. There are some 20,000 dense globules in the nebula, which are rich in molecular hydrogen. In contrast, the inner region shows very hot gas. The main shell contains a thin ring of enhanced emission from carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, M. Barlow (University College London), N. Cox (ACRI-ST), R. Wesson (Cardiff University)
Image description: Webb’s near-infrared view of the Ring Nebula has a different color palette. This time, the nebula’s inner cavity hosts shades of blue and green, while the detailed ring transitions through shades of orange in the inner regions and pink in the outer region. Stars litter the scene, with a particularly prominent star with 8 long spikes in the top right corner.
Webb Reveals Intricate Details in the Remains of a Dying Star (NIRCam image)
There’s just one Ring Nebula to rule them all. Now Webb has turned its eye on this popular target, revealing the complexity of its structure in unprecedented detail — as well the possibility that the dying star at its center has a companion.
Shown here are two views of this nebula, one taken by Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) on the left, and one taken by its Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) on the right. MIRI provided the sharpest and clearest view of the faint halo outside the bright ring. Physical features within suggest there may be a companion star helping to sculpt the layers thrown off by the dying star.
The Ring Nebula is a “planetary nebula,” originally named for having a planet-like appearance through small telescopes. In actuality, planetary nebulae are the remains of a star’s death throes. And while the Ring Nebula resembles a ring when seen face-on, it's more of a donut shape (a torus) when viewed in three dimensions!
Learn more: blogs.nasa.gov/webb/2023/08/21/webb-reveals-intricate-det...
This image: This new image from Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) shows intricate details of the filament structure of the inner ring. There are some 20,000 dense globules in the nebula, which are rich in molecular hydrogen. In contrast, the inner region shows very hot gas. The main shell contains a thin ring of enhanced emission from carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).
Credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, M. Barlow (University College London), N. Cox (ACRI-ST), R. Wesson (Cardiff University)
Image description: Webb’s near-infrared view of the Ring Nebula has a different color palette. This time, the nebula’s inner cavity hosts shades of blue and green, while the detailed ring transitions through shades of orange in the inner regions and pink in the outer region. Stars litter the scene, with a particularly prominent star with 8 long spikes in the top right corner.