NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured a dying star, called Wolf-Rayet 124 (WR 124), just before it goes out with a supernova explosion.
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Observing supernova
Only some massive stars undergo a brief Wolf-Rayet phase before heading for a bright, super-powerful explosion known as a supernova.
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Glow of WR 124
WR 124 has shed 10 Suns' worth of material, resulting in a characteristic halo of gas and dust that glows in infrared light, which is detectable by the Webb telescope.
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Exploring supernova dust
Astronomers study cosmic dust that survives a supernova blast as it plays an important role in the formation of stars, planets, and molecules, including the building blocks of life on Earth.
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Dust budget mystery
Astronomers say there is more dust in the universe than current theories can explain, leading to a "dust budget surplus" that could be better understood with the Webb telescope.
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Exploring dusty environments
Cosmic dust is best observed in infrared wavelengths, which is the type of light that Webb is optimized to observe.