NASA’s James Webb Telescope managed to capture images of a rare space phenomenon, a star that turned into a supernova 15,000 light-years from Earth.
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The US space agency has released two images showing a star it has dubbed WR 124, which is a Wolf-Rayer star.
This is a star that reaches a point in its supernova transition where it briefly expels material around its core in the form of high-speed winds before exploding, forming a supernova.
The material being thrown into space forms the purple and red hues that can be seen in NASA images.
This is the first time this phenomenon has been captured in such detail, thanks to the James Webb Telescope.
“The detailed images of WR 124 captured by Webb forever preserve a short, turbulent moment of transformation and promising discoveries that will unlock the secrets of cosmic dust,” NASA said in a statement.
These new images will allow NASA researchers to study the properties of cosmic dust dropped by the star, making use of the infrared sensor of the James Webb Telescope.
“Stardust is integral to the workings of the universe. It helps stars form, clump together to form planets, and serves as a platform for molecules to form and stick together — including life on Earth.”
It will also allow us to learn more about the beginning of the history of the universe.
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