By analyzing data from the Webb Telescope, international researchers have discovered evidence of at least two previously unknown stars hidden within the “graveyard” of the Southern Ring Nebula.
Southern Ring Nebula. (Photo: Twitter).
The Southern Ring Nebula is located in the Milky Way, approximately 2,000 light-years from Earth, and was previously thought to contain only two stars. One star, nestled in the heart of the Southern Ring Nebula, is a white dwarf that, during its dying phase, has emitted streams of gas and dust for thousands of years, which then formed a surrounding cloud.
Astronomer Philippe Amram from the Marseille Astrophysics Laboratory in France noted that this binary star system is common in the Milky Way but is not an atypical structure for the Southern Ring Nebula. He utilized observations from the Webb Telescope to uncover additional mysteries of the nebula.
By analyzing data from the infrared cameras of the Webb Telescope, researchers reported finding evidence of at least two other stars within the Southern Ring Nebula, with a diameter equivalent to 1,500 times the distance from the Sun to Pluto.
While this new pair of stars is slightly farther away than the white dwarf and its companion, all four stars, or possibly five, are located at the center of the Southern Ring Nebula.
Amram explained that these stars are close enough to interact with each other, and the exchange of energy between them creates the peculiar shape of the Southern Ring Nebula.
Since its launch in July, the Webb Telescope has provided an unprecedented amount of data, and scientists hope that this massive telescope will herald a new era of exploration.
The study was published in the journal Nature Astronomy on December 8.
