Provided by NASA, European Space Agency, Canadian Space Agency, Space Telescope Science Institute, Mike Ressler, and David Jones
Celestial bodies, both small and large, are scattered throughout the vast universe. We are often fascinated by the beauty of unique forms created by nature. The image of the planetary nebula "NGC 1514" newly released by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and others is one such example. It looks like a rose flower placed inside a cylindrical box. Is it a gift for someone?
The "James Webb Space Telescope," a collaboration between the United States, Europe, and Canada, captured this image using mid-infrared light from approximately 1,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus. A planetary nebula is a celestial object formed when an aging, dying star transitions from a red giant to a white dwarf. The star that shines particularly bright at the center appears to be one star but is actually two. Gas and dust flowing from one of the stars spread throughout the surrounding area.
The two rings that form the cylindrical shape are mainly collections of dust. According to the researchers, "the interaction caused by the two stars coming quite close together may have resulted in this unexpected shape rather than a spherical one." This appearance will continue to change over thousands of years to come.
Original article was provided by the Science Portal and has been translated by Science Japan.