JWST observations explore the structure of the Ring Nebula

A global group of astronomers has used the James Webb House Telescope (JWST) to look at the planetary nebula NGC 6720, higher often known as the Ring Nebula. The observational marketing campaign, described in a paper on the pre-print server arXiv, has revealed a wealth of structural element on this nebula.

Planetary nebulae (PNe) are increasing shells of fuel and dust which were ejected from a star in the course of the technique of its evolution from a fundamental sequence star right into a crimson large or white dwarf. They’re comparatively uncommon, however are necessary for astronomers finding out the chemical evolution of stars and galaxies.

Positioned some 2,600 light years away from the Earth within the constellation of Lyra, the Ring Nebula is a widely known PN with a posh morphology. Its star is a white dwarf with a mass of a minimum of 0.58 solar masses, efficient temperature of 135,000 Ok and luminosity at a stage of 310 solar luminosities. Earlier observations have discovered that the white dwarf is at present within the phase of fast fading and that the a part of the ionized nebula is probably going recombining.

In mid-2022, a gaggle of astronomers led by Roger Wesson of Cardiff College, UK, noticed the Ring Nebula with JWST, aiming to get extra insights into its nature. The observations have been carried out as a part of the Cycle 1 Basic Observers (GO) program.

“We report right here on JWST imaging of the Ring Nebula, NGC 6720, utilizing 13 filters from 1.6 µm to 25µm,” the researchers wrote within the paper.

The pictures revealed that the Ring Nebula has an interior cavity and a shell during which some 20,000 dense clumps include as much as half the total mass. The imagery additionally unveiled the presence of a skinny ring of attainable polycyclic fragrant hydrocarbon (PAH) emission, and a halo that accommodates round 10 concentric arcs and 400 spikes.

By analyzing the obtained photos, the astronomers discovered that the central cavity accommodates extremely ionized fuel and showcases two linear constructions. Typically, the cavity seems to have an roughly round construction, with a radius of about 25 arcseconds. The shell surrounding this cavity is a broad area with a well-defined interior and periphery, exhibiting an elliptical form.

It turned out that the middle of the Ring Nebula is offset by two arcseconds to the north-west from the central star. The astronomers suppose that such an offset could also be attributable to the unique mass loss, the ionization and the new stellar wind.

In terms of the central star, JWST observations discovered that it’s a triple system. Based mostly on the photographs, the researchers discovered that the star has a binary companion at some 35 AU, and a distant, widespread correct movement companion at some 14,400 AU, which is assumed to be a low-mass M2–M4 main sequence star.

In line with the authors of the paper, their findings affirm that PNe typically could include a big number of constructions and phases, from extremely ionized sizzling fuel to dense molecular clumps.

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