(ORDO NEWS) — The most powerful telescope of modern times saw a rare sight: the end of the life cycle of a star 30 times more massive than our Sun.
“James Webb” directed his gaze towards the superbright star WR 124. It is located at a distance of 15,000 light years from Earth in the constellation Sagittarius.
This star is classified as a Wolf-Rayet type. This is the name given to massive hot stars of high luminosity that have an intense stellar wind.
WR 124 is going through the last stage of its existence. It ejects gas, which cools and forms cosmic dust that glows in infrared light.
According to NASA officials, WR 124 is about 30 times more massive than our Sun.
To date, the star has already thrown gas and dust into space with a mass of more than 10 solar masses. WR 124 will eventually go supernova.
The origin of cosmic dust that can survive a supernova explosion is of great interest to astronomers. There are several reasons.
First, the dust covers the stars and, when collected together, helps to form the planets. Second, it serves as a platform for the formation and adhesion of molecules, including the building blocks of life on Earth.
Technical equipment of the telescope
Recall that the latest James Webb telescope, launched into space on December 25, 2021, is equipped with many scientific instruments for studying space objects, including:
- Near-Infrared Camera (Near-Infrared Camera)
- Device for working in the middle range of infrared radiation (English Mid-Infrared Instrument, MIRI)
- Near-Infrared Spectrograph (NIRSpec)
- Fine Guidance Sensor (FGS), as well as an imaging device in the near infrared range and a slitless spectrograph (Near InfraRed Imager and Slitless Spectrograph, NIRISS)
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