Two tangled stars create what appear to be “fingerprints” in space. NASA photographic release Wednesday duo taken from James Webb space telescopeshowing at least 17 dust rings surrounding the stars.
NASA
The image was taken with the help of the telescope’s mid-infrared instrument, created by NASA and the European Space Agency.
The stars, collectively known as Wolf-Rayet 140, are located 5,000 light-years from Earth, NASA said in a press release. NASA explains that each dust ring forms when two stars approach each other during their orbits, causing the gas emitted by them to compress and form rings.
“Turning gas into powder is like turning flour into bread – it requires certain conditions and ingredients,” says NASA of the dust ring.
It takes about eight years to form each ring.
“We have seen more than a century of dust production from this system,” said astronomer Ryan Lau.
NASA has revealed that the two are nearing the end of their lives, which will lead to their collapse and the formation of a black hole. Stars classified as Wolf-Rayet have a mass at least 25 times the mass of the Sun and emit large amounts of gas.
According to NASA, the two may have lost more than half of their original mass over time.
Astronomers also believe that the winds from the stars sweep the area around the debris that can damage the rings, which is why they can be clearly seen through. telescope.
“There will likely be more episodes that become so faint and scattered that not even Webb can see them in the data,” NASA said.
Matter derived from Wolf-Rayet stars can accumulate and form new stars. NASA has revealed that there is some evidence to suggest that the Sun may also have formed this way.
Only 600 Wolf-Rayet stars have been discovered by astronomers in the sky, but they say there are at least a few thousand.
