NASA has released stunning 'brain-new' images of a dying star, revealing a glowing nebula forming around it in deep space.
The latest photo, captured by the James Webb Space Telescope, shows a vast cloud of gas and dust. This forms when a star reaches the end of its life and throws its outer layers into space. Over time, this process creates glowing clouds of gas and dust that form a beautiful and colourful shape.
Scientists have nicknamed the nebula, officially PMR 1, as "Exposed Cranium" because it looks like a brain inside a transparent skull, according to the NY Post.
"The nebula appears to have distinct regions that capture different phases of its evolution — an outer shell of gas that was blown off first and consists mostly of hydrogen, and an inner cloud with more structure that contains a mix of different gases," NASA said in a statement.
The new images combine data from two powerful Webb instruments, NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera), which captures near-infrared light, and MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument), which captures mid-infrared light.
The image shows an outer shell made mostly of hydrogen gas. This was pushed out first when the star started dying. It also shows an inner cloud that appears more complex and structured.
According to USA Herald, the dark line seen in the middle of the nebula may have formed because of a powerful burst from a dying star at the centre.
PMR 1 was first seen in infrared light more than 10 years ago by the now-retired Spitzer Space Telescope. Now, NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured much clearer and sharper images, making the nebula's brain-like shape stand out even more.
https://usaherald.com/james-webb-space-telescope-unveils-brain-like-exposed-cranium-nebula-around-dying-star/
If the star is very massive, it can later explode in a powerful supernova.
The James Webb Space Telescope is a very powerful space telescope that uses infrared light to study space. It studies the entire history of the universe, ranging from the first light that appeared after the Big Bang to the formation of stars, planets, and solar systems that could support life.
