Produced by: Mohsin Shaikh
Captured by JWST, Wolf-Rayet 140 reveals concentric dust shells from its final stages.
These shells, resembling tree rings, mark the star's orbital periods every eight years.
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Dust expelled by Wolf-Rayet 140 is rich in carbon, vital for forming planets and life.
Credit: NASA/ESA/CSA/STScI /E. Lieb, University of Denver/R. Lau, NSF’s NOIRLab/J. Hoffman, University of Denver.
JWST’s mid-infrared tools exposed the shells’ full extent, unseen by visible light.
Dust moves outward at 1,600 miles per second, tracked over just 14 months by JWST.
Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, NASA-JPL, Caltech
Findings, led by Emma Lieb of the University of Denver, appeared in Astrophysical Journal Letters.
Credit: University of Denver
The Wolf-Rayet star, ten times the Sun's mass, sheds material at extraordinary rates.
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Ejected material enriches space with elements, fueling new stars, planets, and life.
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Its fate—either a supernova or black hole—could obliterate or preserve its cosmic rings.