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This collection of images presents three perspectives of the Butterfly Nebula, also referred to as NGC 6302. The first and second visuals emphasize the bipolar characteristics of the Butterfly Nebula in optical and near-infrared wavelengths captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. The new Webb image on the right zooms in on the core of the nebula and its dusty torus. The data from Webb are complemented by information from the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, a robust array of radio dishes.ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, M. Matsuura, J. Kastner, K. Noll, ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), N. Hirano, J. Kastner, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)
The James Webb Space Telescope has uncovered new insights in the center of the Butterfly Nebula, recognized by astronomers as NGC 6302. From the thick ring of dust engulfing the nebula’s core to the diminutive yet luminous star concealed within, the Webb observations offer a never-before-seen representation of the nebula’s internal mechanisms. The fresh visuals also assist researchers in deciphering the origins of cosmic dust.
“The majority of the material found in rocks, gemstones, bones — essentially the Earth itself — arrived here as a cloud of minute cosmic dust particles. Rocky planets are composed of this material,” explained Bruce Balick, a UW professor emeritus of astronomy and a member of the research team. “The Butterfly Nebula stands as one of the closest abundant sources of fresh cosmic dust, making it an excellent location to explore how dust forms and disperses.”
The findings were revealed on Aug. 27 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. The Webb telescope team released several images and additional captions on its mission webpage.
Planetary nebulae arise when stars with masses ranging from about 0.8 to eight times that of the sun release most of their mass at the conclusion of their lives, resulting in massive outpourings of gas and dust. The Butterfly Nebula, situated roughly 3,400 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius, ranks among the most thoroughly studied planetary nebulae in our galaxy and was previously captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. It falls under a category of bipolar nebulae, indicating that it possesses two lobes of dust and gas that extend in opposing directions from the central star, shaping the “wings” of the butterfly. The torus-like cloud of dust and gas acts as the butterfly’s “body,” obscuring the star responsible for its formation.
This labeled image identifies the structures at the center of the Butterfly Nebula. The James Webb Space Telescope’s MIRI instrument has unveiled numerous previously concealed facets of the nebula.ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, M. Matsuura, ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO), N. Hirano, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)
The new Webb visuals focus on the center of the Butterfly Nebula and its dusty ring. The telescope’s exceptionally powerful Mid-InfraRed Instrument, or MIRI, analyzed the chemical composition of the dust and also penetrated through it, exposing the hidden star at the core. This Earth-sized star is minuscule yet over 1,000 times more luminous than the sun, and at 222,000 Kelvin, it stands as one of the hottest known central stars in any planetary nebula.
Webb’s observations also discovered familiar elements in this unusual environment. The new data indicate that the dust ring comprises partially crystalline silicates like quartz, which are prevalent in terrestrial rocks. The team also identified a class of organic molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, found in campfire smoke and charred toast. This might represent the first-ever indication of PAHs forming in a planetary nebula, offering significant insights into the origin of these molecules.
For scholars like Balick, gaining a clear visualization of both the central star and the dust it generated is essential.
“Billions of long-extinct stars, once akin to the freshly identified star that created the Butterfly, produced essential raw materials such as carbon-based organic molecules and silicates that solidified to form the Earth’s initial surface,” Balick stated. “The Butterfly allows us to glimpse the very beginning of this process.”
An image of the Butterfly Nebula captured by the Hubble Space Telescope in near-infrared wavelengths.ESA/Webb, NASA & CSA, J. Kastner, M. Zamani (ESA/Webb)
In contrast to its name, planetary nebulae bear no connection to planets: The confusion regarding the name originated several centuries ago, when astronomers reported that the first nebulae they discovered appeared spherical, resembling planets. The nomenclature persisted, even though numerous planetary nebulae are not spherical at all — the Butterfly Nebula itself exemplifies the unusual and enigmatic shapes they can exhibit.
“Upon viewing the new visuals, I recognized that there is still much to uncover regarding the formation and configuration of planetary nebulae — more than we ever expected,” Balick remarked. “However, that’s the essence of science. You peel the onion one layer at a time.”
A comprehensive list of co-authors is included with the paper.
This research was sponsored by NASA and the European Space Agency (ESA), which financed the James Webb Space Telescope and its scientific apparatus, as well as individual research grants from the respective countries of the teams.
For additional information, contact Balick at [email protected].
This narrative was adapted from a press release by NASA and ESA. See related post from the Royal Astronomical Society.
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