Space telescope reveals the true state of a butterfly-shaped star near its demise at heart
The James Webb Space Telescope has provided a breathtaking glimpse into the composition and behavior of the Butterfly Nebula, one of the most beautiful objects in the Universe, located 3,400 lightyears away in the constellation Scorpius.
This dying star emits a glowing cloud of gas and dust, earning it the nickname 'Butterfly Nebula' due to its unique pair of 'wings'. The nebula is renowned for its vibrant colors, which are the result of the intense radiation of the central star charging the surrounding gas.
The telescope's infrared instruments have revealed details about the Butterfly Nebula that astronomers have never seen before. The streams of gas are sculpted by a thick band of dust that forms the body of the butterfly, and beyond the dusty torus, astronomers detected layered shells of different elements, including iron and nickel, blasting out in jets.
One of the most significant discoveries is the presence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Butterfly Nebula. This may be the first evidence of PAHs emerging inside an oxygen-rich nebula, offering new insights into the nebula's composition and energy emission processes.
Webb's observations also reveal that the dust in the Butterfly Nebula is composed of crystalline silicates, similar to quartz, and larger-than-expected dust grains that have been growing for thousands of years.
Moreover, the dying star at the center of the Butterfly Nebula is one of the hottest known central stars in a planetary nebula in our galaxy, with a temperature of 220,000°C (396030°F).
Researchers led by an unnamed team observed the central star of the Crab Nebula with JWST’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), discovering detailed structures of dust and gas around the pulsar, providing new insights into the nebula's composition and energy emission processes.
Planetary nebulae, contrary to their name, have nothing to do with planets. Instead, they are created by a dying star and are often round and puffed-out in shape. These findings suggest that dying stars enrich the galaxy with dust and complex molecules, the very ingredients that eventually form new stars and planets.
The full paper on the observations can be read at academic.oup.com/mnras/article/542/2/1287/8241385. The James Webb Space Telescope continues to amaze and inspire, offering a deeper understanding of the cosmos and our place within it.
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