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Exploring the Iconic Helix Nebula: Webb’s In-Depth Analysis

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Exciting new infrared images from the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope showcase the intricate structure of gas and dust expelled by a white dwarf star at the heart of the Helix Nebula.

This web image captures part of the Helix Nebula with stunning detail. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/A. Pagan, STScI.

Located approximately 655 light years away in the constellation Aquarius, the Helix Nebula is a captivating planetary nebula.

First discovered in the early 1800s, it continues to enchant stargazers and professional astronomers alike, owing to its closeness to Earth and mesmerizing visual appeal.

The image captured by Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) reveals a comet-like column with an extended tail tracing the edges of the expanding gas shell, as noted by Webb astronomers.

“Fierce winds from a dying star clash with a frigid shell of gas, sculpting the remarkable structure of the nebula,” they explained.

“The iconic Helix Nebula has been observed by various ground-based and space-based observatories for nearly two centuries since its discovery.”

“Webb’s near-infrared observations highlight these intricate knots, contrasting with conventional imaging techniques. Check out this fantastic image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.”

This image offers a panoramic view of the Helix Nebula, accentuating the narrow field of view from Webb’s NIRCam instrument. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI/A. Pagan, STScI.

The new images additionally highlight the dramatic transition from the hottest to the coldest gas as the shell expands from the central white dwarf star, WD 2226-210.

The bright white dwarf lies at the heart of the nebula, just outside the Webb image’s frame, continuing to influence its surroundings.

“Intense radiation from this star illuminates the surrounding gas, creating vibrant rainbow-colored features: hot ionized gas closest to the white dwarf, cooler hydrogen molecules further away, and protective pockets in the dust cloud where more complex molecules can start to form,” the astronomers noted.

This interaction is vital, paving the way for new planetary systems to potentially form in the future.

“In the Webb images of the Helix Nebula, colors represent temperature and chemical reactions,” they explained.

“A slight blue tint reveals the hottest gas in the area, ignited by powerful ultraviolet light.”

“Further out, the gas transitions into a yellow region where hydrogen atoms merge to form molecules.”

The outer edge, adorned with a reddish hue, marks the coldest material where gas begins to thin and dust can emerge.

“These colors symbolize the star’s last breath transforming into the foundational material for new worlds, enriching our understanding of how planets originate,” the astronomers concluded.

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Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s Observations Indicate That Asteroids Bennu and Ryug Belong to the Polana Collision Family

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New Polana Collisional Family The primary asteroid belt in our solar system is the source of insights about nearby asteroids (101955) Bennu and (162173) Ryugu, which are the focus of NASA’s Osiris Rex missions. Currently, astronomers utilizing the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope are gathering spectroscopic data from the family progenitor, (142) Polana, and comparing it to laboratory data from both spacecraft and near-Earth asteroids, revealing near-infrared spectral similarities that lend support to the hypothesis that they originated from the same protoplanetary body.

This image of this asteroid was captured on June 26, 2018 by Jaxa’s Hayabusa-2 Spacecraft optical navigation camera – telescopic (ONC-T). Image credits: Jakusa / University of Tokyo / Kochi University / Ricchiho University / Nagoya University / Chiba University of Technology / Nishimura University / Aizu University / AIST.

“We hypothesize that in the early formation of our solar system, a significant asteroid collided and broke apart, creating the Polana and the ‘Asteroid Family,’ the largest remaining body,” stated Dr. Anisia Aredondo, a researcher at the Southwest Research Institute.

“This theory posits that the remnants of that collision led to the formation of not just Polana, but also Bennu and Ryugu.”

“To validate this theory, we began analyzing the spectra of all three entities and comparing them.”

The researchers used time on Webb to observe Polana with two different spectral instruments targeting near-infrared and mid-infrared wavelengths.

The data was then contrasted with spectral information from physical samples of Ryugu and Bennu collected by two distinct space missions.

“Bennu and Ryugu are categorized as near-Earth asteroids as they orbit the Sun within Mars’ orbit,” they noted.

“However, they pose no threat to our planet, with closest approaches of approximately 3 million km (1.9 million miles) and 1.6 million km (1 million miles), respectively.”

“Bennu and Ryugu are relatively small compared to Polana; Bennu measures about 500 m in diameter (0.3 miles), while Ryugu is twice as large, but both Polana and Ryugu measure about 55.3 km (34.4 miles) wide.”

“Scientists believe that Jupiter’s gravity caused Bennu and Ryugu to drift out of their orbit near Polana.”

“Given their similarities, I am confident all three asteroids share a common parent,” she added.

This mosaic image of the asteroid Bennu consists of 12 images collected on December 2, 2018 by a 15-mile (24 km) Polycam instrument at Osiris-Rex. Image credit: NASA/NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center/University of Arizona.

The authors indicate that while spectral data from the asteroids exhibit variations and discrepancies, they do not sufficiently invalidate the hypothesis that they all have a shared origin.

“Polana, Bennu, and Ryugu have been traversing their respective paths through our solar system since the collision that may have formed them,” remarks Dr. Tracy Becker from the Southwest Research Institute.

“Bennu and Ryugu are now much closer to the Sun compared to Polana, resulting in their surfaces being more influenced by solar radiation and solar particles.”

“Additionally, Polana is likely older than Bennu and Ryugu, and as such, has been subjected to impact from micrometeorites over an extended period.”

“This could potentially alter the surface areas containing their elemental compositions.”

A study detailing the survey results has been published in the Journal of Planetary Science.

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Anisia Aredondo et al. 2025. Planet. Sci. J. 6, 195; doi:10.3847/psj/ade395

Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s study highlights brown dwarfs in the fire nebula

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Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope investigated the lowest mass limits of brown dwarfs within Flame Nebula, a hotbed of star formation in Orion’s constellation.

A collage of this image from the Flame Nebula shows a view of near-infrared light from Hubble on the left, while the two insets on the right show the near-infrared view taken by Webb. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/M. Meyer, University of Michigan/A. Pagan, Stsci.

Flame Nebula It is about 1,400 light years away from Orion’s constellation.

Also known as NGC 2024 and SH2-277, this ejection nebula is about 12 light years wide and is less than a million years.

The Flame Nebula was discovered on January 1, 1786 by British astronomer William Herschel, born in Germany.

It is part of the Orion molecular cloud complex and includes famous nebulae such as the Hosehead Nebula and the Orion Nebula.

In a new study, astronomers used Webb to explore the lowest mass limits of brown dwarfs within the flame nebula.

The results, they found, were free-floating objects with mass about 2-3 times the mass of Jupiter.

“The goal of this project was to explore the fundamental low-mass limits of the star- and brown dwarf formation process,” said Dr. Matthew De Julio, an astronomer at the University of Texas at Austin.

“Webb allows you to investigate the faintest and lowest mass objects.”

The low mass limits that the required teams are looking for are set by a process known as fragmentation.

In this process, the large molecular clouds that produce both star and brown dwarfs are broken down into smaller units or fragments.

Fragmentation relies heavily on several factors where temperature, thermo-pressure, and gravity balance are the most important.

More specifically, as fragments contract under gravity, their cores become hot.

If the core is large enough, the hydrogen starts to fuse.

The outward pressure created by that fusion counters gravity, stops collapse and stabilizes the object.

However, the core is not compact, it is hot enough to burn hydrogen, and continues to shrink as long as it emits internal heat.

This near-infrared image of a portion of the Webb flame nebula highlights three low-mass objects found in the right inset. Image credits: NASA/ESA/CSA/STSCI/M. MEYER, University of Michigan.

“We’ve seen a lot of effort into making it,” said Dr. Michael Meyer, an astronomer at the University of Michigan.

“If the clouds cool efficiently, they collapse and fall apart.”

When the fragment becomes opaque enough to reabsorb its own radiation, fragmentation stops, thereby stopping cooling and preventing further decay.

The theory places the lower bounds of these fragments between 1-10 Jupiter masses.

This study significantly reduces its scope as the Webb census counted fragments of different masses within the nebulae.

“As we found in many previous studies, going to a lower mass actually increases the amount of objects about ten times as much as Jupiter’s mass,” Dr. Deirio said.

“Studies using Webb are sensitive to Jupiter up to 0.5 times the mass of Jupiter, and as they get below 10 times the mass of Jupiter, there are considerably fewer.”

“We discovered that there are fewer 5 Jupiter Mass objects than the Ten Jupiter Mass object, and we can see that there are fewer 3 Jupiter Mass objects than the 5 Jupiter Mass objects.”

“We don’t actually find any objects below the mass of two or three Jupiter. We’re hoping to see if they’re there, so we’re assuming this could be the limit itself.”

“For the first time, Webb was able to investigate beyond that limit,” added Dr. Meyer.

“If that limitation is real, there really is no object of 1 Jupiter mass that floats freely in our Milky Way galaxies, unless it forms as a planet and is kicked out of the planetary system.”

a paper Regarding the survey results, Astrophysics Journal Letter.

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Matthew de Julio et al. 2025. Identification of sales in the initial mass function of young star clusters up to 0.5 mJ. apjl 981, L34; doi: 10.3847/2041-8213/ADB96A

Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s discovery of brown dwarf candidates hints at first wealthy population outside of the Milky Way

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Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope detected a population of 64 brown dwarf candidates with masses ranging from 50 to 84 Jupiter masses in the star cluster NGC 602.

This image of NGC 602 includes data from Webb's NIRCam (near-infrared camera) and MIRI (mid-infrared instrument) instruments. Image credits: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / P. Zeidler / E. Sabbi / A. Nota / M. Zamani, ESA & Webb.

NGC602 is a very young star cluster, about 200,000 light-years away in the constellation Hydra, about 2 to 3 million years old.

Also known as ESO 29-43, this star resides in the wings of the Small Magellanic Cloud.

NGC 602's local environment closely resembles that of the early Universe, with very low abundances of elements heavier than hydrogen and helium.

The presence of dark clouds of dense dust and the fact that the cluster is rich in ionized gas also suggests the presence of an ongoing star formation process.

Together with the associated HII region N90, which contains clouds of ionized atomic hydrogen, this cluster provides a rare opportunity to examine star formation scenarios under conditions dramatically different from those in the solar neighborhood.

Using Webb, Dr. Peter Zeidler and his colleagues at AURA and ESA were able to detect 64 brown dwarf candidates in NGC 602. This is the first rich population of brown dwarfs to exist outside the Milky Way.

“It is possible to detect objects at such great distances only with incredible sensitivity and spatial resolution in the right wavelength range,” Dr. Zeidler said.

“This has never been possible and will remain impossible from the ground for the foreseeable future.”

“So far, about 3,000 brown dwarfs are known, and they all live in our galaxy,” said Dr. Elena Mangiavakas, also from AURA and ESA.

“This discovery highlights the ability to use both Hubble and Webb to study young star clusters,” said Dr. Antonella Nota, executive director of the International Space Science Institute.

“Hubble showed that NGC 602 hosts very young, low-mass stars, but only Webb can conclusively confirm the extent and significance of substellar mass formation in this cluster. Hubble and Webb are an amazingly powerful telescope duo!”

“Our results are very consistent with the theory that the mass distribution of objects below the hydrogen burning limit is simply a continuation of the stellar distribution,” Dr. Zeidler said.

“They seem to form the same way, they just haven't accumulated enough mass to become full stars.”

NSF astronomer Dr. Elena Sabbi said, “Studying the newly discovered metal-poor young brown dwarfs in NGC 602 will shed light on how stars and planets formed under the harsh conditions in the early universe. We are getting closer to uncovering the secrets of this.” NOIRLab, University of Arizona, Space Telescope Science Institute.

“These are the first substellar objects outside the Milky Way,” Manjavakas said.

“We need to be prepared for new breakthrough discoveries in these new objects.”

of result will appear in astrophysical journal.

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peter zeidler others. 2024. A candidate for a subsolar metallic brown dwarf is discovered in the Small Magellanic Cloud. APJ 975, 18; doi: 10.3847/1538-4357/ad779e

Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s revelation of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere of a hot Jupiter

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Astronomers using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope have detected trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide in the atmosphere of the Jupiter-sized exoplanet HD 189733b.

Artist's impression of hot Jupiter exoplanet HD 189733b. Image courtesy of Roberto Molar Candanosa / Johns Hopkins University.

HD 189733b is a hot gas giant with a hazy atmosphere composed mostly of hydrogen that lies about 63 light-years away in the constellation Vulpecula.

The planet is discovered It was discovered in 2005 by astronomers using two telescopes at the Observatory of Haute-Provence.

HD 189733b is just 1.2 times the size of Jupiter, but it orbits its parent star, HD 189733, very closely, completing one revolution around the star every 2.2 days.

“Hydrogen sulfide is a major molecule that we didn't know existed. We predicted it would be there, and we know it's on Jupiter, but we'd never actually detected it outside the solar system,” said Dr Guangwei Hu, an astrophysicist at Johns Hopkins University.

“Although we're not looking for life on this planet because it's too hot, the discovery of hydrogen sulfide is a stepping stone to finding this molecule on other planets and improving our understanding of how different types of planets form.”

“In addition to detecting hydrogen sulfide and measuring the total amount of sulfur in HD 189733b's atmosphere, we also precisely measured the main sources of oxygen and carbon on the planet: water, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide.”

“Sulfur is an essential element for building more complex molecules, and like carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphate, scientists need to study it further to fully understand how planets are built and what they're made of.”

The Webb probe will give scientists new tools to track hydrogen sulfide and measure sulfur on gas giants outside our solar system, just as they have detected water, carbon dioxide, methane and other important molecules on other exoplanets.

“Let's say we study another 100 hot Jupiters and they're all enriched with sulphur. What does that say about how they came into being and how they formed differently compared to our Jupiter?” Dr Fu said.

The new data, delivered by the Webb Telescope at unprecedented precision and in infrared wavelengths, also rule out the presence of methane in HD 189733b's atmosphere, refuting previous claims that the molecule is abundant in the atmosphere.

“We thought the planet would be too hot for high concentrations of methane to exist, but it turns out that's not the case,” Dr Fu said.

Astronomers also measured Jupiter-like levels of heavy metals, a discovery that could help scientists answer questions about the correlation between a planet's metallicity and its mass.

“Low-mass ice giants like Neptune and Uranus contain more metals than gas giants like Jupiter and Saturn, the largest planets in the solar system,” Dr Fu said.

“High metallicity suggests that Neptune and Uranus accumulated more ice, rock and other heavy elements compared to gases such as hydrogen and helium early in their formation. Scientists are testing whether this correlation also holds true for exoplanets.”

“This Jupiter-mass planet is very close to Earth and has been very well studied. Now, our new measurements show that this planet's metal concentrations provide a very important anchor point for studies of how a planet's composition varies with its mass and radius.”

“This discovery supports our understanding of how planets form after the initial core is formed, creating more solid material that is then naturally enriched with heavy metals.”

Team result Published in the journal Nature.

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G. Hu othersA hydrogen sulfide and metal-rich atmosphere on a Jupiter-mass exoplanet. NaturePublished online July 8, 2024; doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-07760-y

Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s stunning images reveal the beauty of NGC 604

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NGC604 is comparable to renowned star-forming regions in the Milky Way, like the Orion Nebula, but is significantly larger and contains more recently created stars.

This image from the NIRCam instrument in Webb’s star-forming region NGC 604 shows how stellar winds from bright, hot young stars form cavities in the surrounding gas and dust. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI.

NGC 604 is a star-forming region situated 2.73 million light-years away in the Triangulum Galaxy.

Also identified as RX J0134.5+3047. discovered It was discovered by German-born British astronomer William Herschel on September 11, 1784.

NGC 604 is believed to be approximately 3.5 million years old and spans about 1,300 light years in diameter.

In the recent image, near infrared camera (NIRCam) and Mid-infrared measuring instrument The (MIRI) experiment aboard NASA/ESA/CSA’s NGC 604 James Webb Space Telescope reveals cavernous bubbles and elongated filaments of gas that reveal a more detailed and complete representation of a star than ever seen before. Etched birth tapestry.

Sheltered within NGC 604’s dusty gases are more than 200 of the hottest and most massive types of stars, all in the early stages of their lives.

These types of stars include type B and type O, the latter of which can have a mass more than 100 times that of the Sun.

It is extremely rare to find such a large concentration of them in nearby space. In fact, there is no similar region within our Milky Way galaxy.

This concentration of massive stars, combined with its relatively close distance, means that NGC 604 offers astronomers the opportunity to study these objects early in their lives.

This image from NGC 604’s Webb MIRI instrument shows how large clouds of cooler gas and dust glow at mid-infrared wavelengths. Image credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI.

“The most striking features in Webb’s near-infrared NIRCam images are bright red-appearing tendrils or clumps of luminescence extending from areas that appear to be open spaces or large bubbles in the nebula,” Webb astronomers said. Ta.

“Stellar winds from the brightest and hottest young stars carve out these cavities, and ultraviolet light ionizes the surrounding gas. This ionized hydrogen appears as a ghostly glow of white and blue.”

“The bright orange streaks in Webb’s near-infrared images indicate the presence of carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).”

“This material plays an important role in the interstellar medium and in the formation of stars and planets, but its origin is a mystery.”

“If you move away from where the dust was immediately removed, a deeper red color represents hydrogen molecules. This cooler gas is the perfect environment for star formation.”

“Webb’s superior resolution also provides insight into functionality previously thought to be irrelevant to the main cloud,” they added.

“For example, the Webb image shows two bright, young stars burrowing into the dust above the central nebula, connected by a diffuse red gas.”

“These appeared as separate spots in visible-light images taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope.”

Webb’s observations at mid-infrared wavelengths also offer new perspectives on the region’s diverse and dynamic activities.

“MIRI observations of NGC 604 show a significantly lower number of stars,” the astronomers said.

“This is because hot stars emit much less light at these wavelengths, while large clouds of cooler gas and dust glow.”

“Some of the stars seen in this image belong to surrounding galaxies and are red supergiants. These stars are cold but very large, hundreds of times the diameter of the Sun.”

“Additionally, some of the background galaxies that appeared in the NIRCam images have also dimmed.”

“In the MIRI image, blue tendrils of material indicate the presence of PAHs.”

Source: www.sci.news

Webb’s Observation of a Massive Star-Forming Complex in the Large Magellanic Cloud

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Use of Mid-infrared measuring instrument With (MIRI) aboard the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have captured stunning images of N79, a region of interstellar ionized hydrogen in the Large Magellanic Cloud.

This Hubble image shows star-forming region N79 located 163,000 light-years away in the constellation Sera. Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / Webb / M. Meixner.

N79 is a massive star-forming complex spanning about 1,630 light-years in the generally unexplored southwestern region of the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring dwarf galaxy about 163,000 light-years from us.

This region is usually considered a younger version of the 30 Doradus, also known as the Tarantula Nebula.

N79 has a star formation efficiency more than twice that of Doradas 30 over the past 500,000 years.

This particular image centers on one of three giant molecular cloud complexes called N79 South (S1 for short).

The distinctive “starburst” pattern surrounding this bright object is a series of diffraction spikes.

“All telescopes that use mirrors to collect light, like Webb, have this form of artifact resulting from the design of the telescope,” Webb astronomers said.

“For Webb, the six largest starburst spikes appear due to the hexagonal symmetry of Webb's 18 primary mirror segments.”

“Such patterns are only noticeable around very bright and compact objects, where all the light comes from the same place.”

“Most galaxies appear very small to our eyes, but we don't see this pattern because they are dimmer and more spread out than a single star.”

“At the longer wavelengths of light captured by MIRI, Webb's view of N79 shows glowing gas and dust in the region.”

“This is because mid-infrared light can reveal what's going on deep within the cloud (whereas shorter wavelength light is absorbed or scattered by dust particles within the nebula). Still embedded Some protostars also appear in this region.”

Star-forming regions such as N79 are of interest to astronomers because their chemical composition is similar to that of giant star-forming regions observed in the early universe.

“The star-forming regions of our Milky Way galaxy are not producing stars at the same ferocious rate as N79 and have a different chemical composition,” the astronomers said.

“Webb now offers us the opportunity to compare and contrast observations of star formation in N79 with deep telescopic observations of distant galaxies in the early universe.”

“These observations of N79 are part of the Webb program to study the evolution of circumstellar disks and envelopes of forming stars over a wide range of masses and at different evolutionary stages.”

“Webb's sensitivity allows us to detect for the first time disks of planet-forming dust around stars of the same mass as the Sun at distances in the Large Magellanic Cloud.”

Source: www.sci.news

The Webb’s ERO-BluDOG Mix-Up: A Space Incident of Mistaken Identity

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Researchers re-evaluated extremely red objects (EROs) in the JWST data and found similarities with BluDOGs previously identified from Subaru Telescope data. This discovery contributes to a broader understanding of quasar evolution and points to the need for further research using advanced telescopes like GREX-PLUS. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

Space researchers have discovered that extremely red objects (EROs) exist in space. james webb space telescope This data is similar to the Subaru Telescope’s BluDOG, challenging previous assumptions and highlighting the complexity of studying quasar evolution.

Not every discovery is actually a new discovery. This is the case for extremely red objects (EROs) found in the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) data. The analysis showed that it is very similar to a blue-excessive dust-covered galaxy (BluDOG) previously reported using data from the Subaru Telescope.

Quasars, some of the brightest objects in the universe, are powered by supermassive black holes with masses that can reach more than a billion times that of the Sun. Although these objects are the focus of much research, how they form is still poorly understood. A leading theory is that quasars form within galaxies with clouds of gas and dust that obscure the growing quasar until they become powerful enough to blow away the clouds. If this is true, we should be able to catch a short window of time when a quasar breaks out of the cloud.

A galaxy covered in blue excess dust (BluDOG) photographed by the Subaru Telescope.Credit: National Astronomical Observatory of Japan/HSC cooperation

Because the transition period is short, we must observe a large number of prequasar candidates and hope that we are lucky enough to catch a galaxy just as the quasar begins to erupt. Examining the JWST data, a group of extremely red objects (EROs) were identified as possible transitional quasars. But researchers at the Subaru telescope, a Japanese telescope in Hawaii, say that although ERO is called “red,” it is similar to the blue-excess dust-encrusted galaxy (BluDOG) found in big data. I noticed that it also has an important blue component. It was obtained from the Subaru Telescope and described in last year’s report.

Our analysis shows that ERO and BluDOG are likely objects of the same class, but that there are also important differences. One possibility is that ERO is at an earlier stage of evolution than BluDOG. More candidate samples need to be collected to determine the true relationship between ERO, BluDOG, and quasars. Larger samples will be studied by next-generation astronomical instruments, including a planned infrared space telescope project in Japan called GREX-PLUS.

References:

“Similarities between the compact, very red object discovered by JWST at the dawn of the universe and the blue, dust-covered galaxy known at the noon of the universe” Akatoki Noboriguchi, Akio Inoue, Toru Nagao, Yoshiki Toba, Toru Misawa, December 14, 2023 of Astrophysics Journal Letter.
DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/ad0e00

“The extreme properties of four blue dust-covered galaxies revealed by optical spectroscopy” Akatoki Noboriguchi, Toru Nagao, Yoshiki Toba, Kohei Ichikawa, Masaru Kajisawa, Nanako Kato, Toshihiro Kawaguchi, Hideo Matsubara , Yoshiki Matsuoka, Kyoko Onishi, Masafusa Onoe, Nozomu Tamada, Koki Terao, Yuichi Terashima, Yoshihiro Ueda, Takuji Yamashita, December 23, 2022, of astrophysical journal.
DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/aca403

“Optical properties of galaxies covered with infrared bright dust seen with Subaru Hyper Supreme Cam” Akatoki Noboriguchi, Toru Nagao, Yoshiki Toba, Mana Niida, Masaru Kajisawa, Masafusa Onoe, Yoshiki Matsuoka, Takuji Yamashita, Yuyan Zhang , Toshihiro Kawaguchi, Yutaka Komiyama, Kodai Nobehara, Yuichi Terashima, Yoshihiro Ueda, May 13, 2019, astrophysical journal.
DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/ab1754

Source: scitechdaily.com

Webb’s groundbreaking perspective on the concealed rings of Uranus

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The James Webb Space Telescope captures revealing images of Uranus

The James Webb Space Telescope has taken detailed images of Uranus, revealing its dynamic atmosphere, including rings, moons, and storms. This enhanced view, in contrast to previous images, shows a more active Uranus, with a pronounced seasonal polar cloud cap and some storms. These observations are essential for understanding the planet’s complex atmosphere and may also provide insight into the study of exoplanets.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

New view reveals strange and dynamic ice world

When Voyager 2 passed Uranus In 1986, the planet appeared as a featureless, bright blue sphere. Now, Mr. Webb shows a more dynamic and interesting infrared view. Tree rings, the moon, storms, and the bright polar cap grace these new images. Because Uranus is tilted sideways, its polar caps appear more prominent as Uranus’s poles point towards the Sun and receive more sunlight. This period is called the winter solstice. Uranus will reach her next summer solstice in 2028, and astronomers will observe changes in the planet’s atmosphere. Studying this giant ice cube can help astronomers understand the formation and meteorology of similarly sized planets around other suns.

This image of Uranus taken from the NIRCam (Near Infrared Camera) on NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope shows the planet and its rings in new clarity. The planet’s seasonal polar cap shines bright and white, and Webb’s exquisite sensitivity resolves Uranus’ dim inner and outer rings, including the planet’s closest very faint and diffuse ring, the Zeta ring.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

Webb Space Telescope rings with ringed planet Uranus on holiday

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope recently set its sights on the unusual and mysterious Uranus, an ice giant spinning on its side. Webb used other atmospheric features to capture this dynamic world, including rings, the moon, storms, and seasonal polar caps. This image expands on his two-color version released earlier this year, adding a wavelength range for an even more detailed look.

Uranus’ rings and moon in new light

With exquisite sensitivity, Webb captured Uranus’ dim inner and outer rings, including the elusive Zeta ring, the planet’s closest very faint and diffuse ring. It also photographed many of the planet’s 27 known moons, and several smaller moons were also visible in the ring.

At visible wavelengths observed by Voyager 2 in the 1980s, Uranus appeared as a gentle blue sphere. At infrared wavelengths, Webb reveals a strange and dynamic icy world full of exciting atmospheric features.

This image of Uranus taken with the Webb Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) shows a compass arrow, scale bar, and color key for reference.

Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI

Atmospheric phenomena and seasonal changes

One of the most impressive of these is the planet’s seasonal arctic cloud cap. Compared to images on the web from earlier this year, these new images make it easier to see some of the details on the cap. These include a bright white inner cap and dark lanes at the bottom of the polar cap toward lower latitudes. Several bright storms are also visible near and below the southern boundary of the polar cap. The number of these storms, and how often and where they appear in Uranus’ atmosphere, is likely due to a combination of seasonal and meteorological influences.

Polar caps become more visible as the planet’s poles begin to move toward the sun and receive more sunlight as the planet approaches the summer solstice. Uranus will reach her next summer solstice in 2028, but astronomers are keen to observe possible changes to the structure of these landforms. Webb helps disentangle the seasonal and meteorological influences that affect Uranus’ storms. This is important for helping astronomers understand the planet’s complex atmosphere.

Uranus’s unique tilt and future research

Because Uranus rotates on its side at an angle of about 98 degrees, it experiences some of the most extreme seasons in the solar system. For almost a quarter of Uranus’s year, the sun shines above one pole, and the other half of the Earth plunges into a dark winter that lasts her 21 years. Webb’s unparalleled infrared resolution and sensitivity now allows astronomers to observe Uranus and its unique features with groundbreaking new clarity. These details, especially those of the close Zeta ring, will be invaluable in planning future missions to Uranus.

Uranus: proxy for exoplanet research

Uranus also serves as a proxy for studying the nearly 2,000 similarly sized exoplanets discovered in the past few decades. this “exoplanet ‘In our backyard’ helps astronomers understand how planets of this size work, what their meteorology is like and how they formed Masu. This helps us understand our own solar system as a whole by placing it in a larger context.

The James Webb Space Telescope is the world’s highest space science observatory. Webb unravels the mysteries of our solar system, looks to distant worlds around other stars, and explores the mysterious structure and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by: NASA With our partner ESA (european space agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.


Source: scitechdaily.com

Webb’s fresh perspective on supernovae, laser connections between space stations, and the Europa Clipper mission

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New high-definition images from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam (Near Infrared Camera) reveal intricate details of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A), which is struck by a gas outlet by a star before exploding. It shows an expanding shell of matter. Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, Danny Milisavljevic (Purdue University), Ilse De Looze (UGent), Tea Temim (Princeton University)

NASAWebb Space Telescope observes newly exploded star…

The team prepares to install the moon rocket hardware…

And we completed NASA’s first bidirectional end-to-end laser relay system…

Some of the stories we want to share with you – this week at NASA!

Watch the web’s new high-definition exploded stars

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope recently captured this new image of supernova remnant Cassiopeia A. This image, taken with Webb’s near-infrared camera, shows the star’s explosion at a resolution previously unattainable at these wavelengths, giving astronomers a hint at the dynamic processes occurring. . It’s inside a supernova remnant.

NASA’s Artemis II mission is making final preparations for its SLS rocket at Kennedy Space Center. The Orion stage adapter, a critical component that connects Orion to his SLS, recently underwent critical installation work on its diaphragm at Marshall Space Flight Center. This adapter plays an important role in preventing hydrogen gas buildup and ensuring safety during launch.Credit: NASA/Sam Lott

Team prepares to assemble moon rocket and spacecraft connectors

A team at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center recently flipped the Orion stage adapter over and prepared the adapter for diaphragm installation.

The stage adapter connects the Orion spacecraft to the Space Launch System rocket’s intermediate cryogenic propulsion stage (ICPS). The diaphragm helps prevent highly flammable hydrogen gas, which could leak from the rocket’s propellant tanks, from accumulating beneath Orion and its crew before and during launch.

NASA’s ILLUMA-T payload communicates with the LCRD via laser signals.Credit: NASA/Dave Ryan

Space station laser communication terminal achieves first link

NASA’s LCRD and the new space station technology experiment ILLUMA-T successfully exchanged data for the first time, establishing the first laser link between ILLUMA-T and an on-orbit laser relay system. LCRD and his ILLUMA-T teamed up to complete NASA’s first bidirectional end-to-end laser relay system.

Laser communications uses infrared light rather than traditional radio waves to send and receive signals, allowing spacecraft to pack more data into each transmission.

The “Message in a Bottle” campaign offers anyone the opportunity to stencil their name onto a microchip inscribed with U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón’s “Mystery Praise: A Poem to Europe.” The chip will be mounted on NASA’s Europa Clipper spacecraft, bound for Jupiter and its moon Europa. Credit: NASA

Add your name to join the European Clipper Mission

The deadline to participate in NASA’s European Clipper mission’s Message in a Bottle campaign is 11:59 p.m. EST, December 31, 2023. You can join the mission and carve your name on his Clipper spacecraft as it travels and explores 1.8 billion miles of Europe. Jupitericy moon, Europa.

For more information, visit go.nasa.gov/MessageInABottle.

What’s happening this week at @NASA!

Source: scitechdaily.com

Utilizing Webb’s Advanced Optical Techniques to Unravel the Mysteries of the Ring Nebula

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New images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) reveal intriguing details of the Ring Nebula. These images show approximately 10 concentric arcs located just beyond the outer edge of the main ring, suggesting the presence of a low-mass companion star orbiting the central star at a distance similar to that between Earth and Pluto. Researchers from the Royal Observatory of Belgium, Griet van de Steene and Peter van Hof, are part of the international team of astronomers who released these breathtaking images. In their research paper, they analyze these features and discuss their implications for the star’s evolution.

The Ring Nebula, located about 2,200 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra, is a well-known and visually striking planetary nebula. It displays a donut-shaped structure consisting of glowing gas, which was shed by a dying star as it reached the end of its lifecycle. The web’s NIRCam (near-infrared camera) and MIRI instruments have captured stunning footage of the nebula, providing scientists with an opportunity to study and understand its complex structure.

The recent images obtained by the James Webb Space Telescope’s NIRCam reveal intricate details of the filamentary structure of the inner ring of the Ring Nebula. This inner region contains about 20,000 dense spherules and is rich in hydrogen molecules. Additionally, the outer region of the nebula contains a thin ring with enhanced emission from carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). These details were analyzed and described in a research paper by Griet van de Steene, Peter van Hof, and their team.

The Webb images also show peculiar spikes extending outward from the central star on the outside of the ring. These spikes, observed in the infrared but faint in the visible spectrum captured by the Hubble Space Telescope, may be caused by molecules forming in the shadow of the densest part of the ring, shielded from direct radiation from the hot central star.

Furthermore, the researchers discovered 10 concentric arcs in a faint halo outside the ring. These arcs indicate the possible presence of a companion star orbiting at a distance similar to that between our Sun and Pluto. The interaction between the central star and this companion star may have shaped the nebula into its distinctive elliptical form.

The detailed images captured by the Webb telescope provide valuable insights into the process of stellar evolution. By studying the Ring Nebula, scientists hope to gain a better understanding of the life cycles of stars and the elements they release into space. Griet van de Steene and Peter van Hof, along with their team of experts in planetary nebulae and related objects, are actively researching and analyzing the Ring Nebula using imaging and spectroscopy techniques.

Source: scitechdaily.com