The James Webb Orbital Observatory transmitted images of Wolf-Rayet 124, a star that will soon go into a supernova. Reported by NASA.
Wolf-Rayet stars are characterized by very high temperature and brightness. They are tens of times more massive than the Sun and are usually in the final stages of evolution. In other words, Wolf-Rayet is one of the stages of existence of very massive stars on their way to becoming supernovae.
Wolf-Rayet 124 is located 15,000 light-years from the Sun in the constellation Sagittarius. Like all stars of this type, it sheds its outer layers, forming characteristic halos of gas and dust. WR 124 is 30 times heavier than the Sun and has deposited matter on 10 Suns so far. As the ejected gas moves away from the star and cools, cosmic dust is formed that glows in the infrared. Visible red cloud is formed from it (image colors are artificial).
Before the launch of James Webb, astronomers had never studied interstellar dust in such detail. This dust plays a crucial role in the evolution of galaxies, participates in the formation of planets, and most likely serves as a substrate for many chemical reactions, including those that lead to the formation of organic molecules.
Earlier astronomers reportedthat passing satellites distorted 2.7% of Hubble telescope images.
Source: Gazeta
Barbara Dickson is a seasoned writer for “Social Bites”. She keeps readers informed on the latest news and trends, providing in-depth coverage and analysis on a variety of topics.