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NASA share Images from the James Webb Space Telescope could one day help astronomers answer long-standing questions about our universe. It shows WR 124, a star located in the constellation. When JWST first discovered WR 124 in June 2022, Wolfrayer captured his phased star. Only some massive stars undergo such a transition before finally exploding, according to NASA. The one that does is one of the largest and brightest objects in the night sky. For WR 124, NASA estimates the star is 30 times the mass of the Sun, and has so far ejected about 10 times the Sun’s worth of material. Gases emitted by Wolf-Rayet stars cool over time and form cosmic dust.
There is beauty in fragility. 🌸
Webb’s stunning image of the very bright and massive Wolf-Rayet star evokes the ephemeral nature of cherry blossoms. The Wolf-Rayet phase is the fleeting stage that only some stars go through just before they explode. https://t.co/ZOAmKgtshI pic.twitter.com/fC0tL24iUe
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) March 14, 2023
Cosmic dust is a hot topic for astronomers for several reasons. Matter is an integral component of the universe. As NASA points out, it protects stars that merge and can even come together to form planets. JWST could help astronomers tackle that mystery. “Before Webb, dust-loving astronomers were asking questions about dust formation in environments like WR 124, and whether dust particles were large and abundant enough to survive a supernova and have a significant impact on dust overall. We didn’t have enough details to investigate the budget,” NASA said. “These questions can now be explored with real data.”