Posted on 08/14/2023 2:41:50 PM PDT by MtnClimber
Explanation: The Ring Nebula (M57), is more complicated than it appears through a small telescope. The easily visible central ring is about one light-year across, but this remarkable exposure by the James Webb Space Telescope explores this popular nebula with a deep exposure in infrared light. Strings of gas, like eyelashes around a cosmic eye, become evident around the Ring in this digitally enhanced featured image in assigned colors. These long filaments may be caused by shadowing of knots of dense gas in the ring from energetic light emitted within. The Ring Nebula is an elongated planetary nebula, a type of gas cloud created when a Sun-like star evolves to throw off its outer atmosphere to become a white dwarf star. The central oval in the Ring Nebula lies about 2,500 light-years away toward the musical constellation Lyra.
For more detail go to the link and click on the image for a high definition image. You can then move the magnifying glass cursor then click to zoom in and click again to zoom out. When zoomed in you can scan by moving the side bars on the bottom and right side of the image.
Guess I need to read up on this throwing off the atmosphere, vs. nova vs. super nova.
Results all seem similar.
The Ring Nebula ......... I prefer “ The Eye of GOD”
Beat me to it, you did! :-)
Love what you’ve done with your lashes...
Do you have the feeling we’re being watched...?
Ever read the mote in God’s Eye? That’s where it must have been.
This was the first object I first encountered many years ago when I took an interest in astronomy. The Ring is in Lyra, which is over head in summer. It’s also home to the Double Double.Two star systems a half a light year apart from each other.
for a lesser result, see micronova.
That’s a far cry from the tiny smoke ring I’m used to looking at in my telescope!
I love looking at the double-double! It never changes, but it’s always exciting to look at. People at outreach nights like it.
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