Fascinating photo of a supernova could solve a curious mystery

The James Webb Telescope has been sending images back to Earth since mid-2022. Now the telescope has managed to take another brilliant photo. The image could help researchers explain one of the universe’s greatest mysteries.

A red star in the center of attention

As reported by heise online, the Wolf-Rayet star WR 124 was photographed by the James Webb telescope in its final phase before becoming a supernova. Visible in the photo is WR 124 surrounded by red dust and other stars.

The image from the James Webb Telescope is stunning. Source: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, ESA/Hubble, Webb ERO Production Team

Stars go through several evolutionary stages until they become a supernova in their last phase. Only a small part of it is classified as a Wolf-Rayet star. Wolf-Rayet stars are special stars that were once very massive but have lost it, revealing the star’s core.

The mass formerly bound by the star moves away from the star and slowly cools. The cooled dust begins to glow in the infrared spectrum, making it visible to the James Webb telescope.

Vital Dust

Photographed by the James Webb Telescope, the dust is vital to the functioning of the Universe. Stars and planets grow in the dust; it is responsible for the formation of molecules.

What the researchers are currently unable to explain is the large amount of dust that exists in the universe. According to research theories, there should actually be less dust than actually exists in the universe. With the images from the James Webb telescope, researchers may be able to determine how much cosmic dust the Wolf-Rayet stars contribute.

Incidentally, the James Webb Telescope is not the first telescope to image WR 124. The Hubble telescope also took pictures of WR 124. Source: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, ESA/Hubble, Webb ERO Production Team.

However, the image of the Wof-Rayet star is not the only photo from the James Webb telescope that has caused a stir in recent months. The telescope has already been able to image giant hurricanes on Jupiter.

Music has already been made from the images from the James Webb telescope: you should definitely listen! The universe sometimes sounds soothing – and sometimes frightening.

What do you think of the images of the Wolf-Rayet star? Did you know that the life of the universe arose from dust and is still arising? Are you fascinated by what is happening in galaxies far, far away, or the view of the stars? Feel free to write your opinion in the comments.