NEW JWST IMAGE shows SEVENTEEN carbon dust shells around a binary star system
@science@lemmy.world @science@beehaw.org @space@lemmy.world @space@newsmast.community #space #science #nasa #astronomy
NEW JWST IMAGE shows SEVENTEEN carbon dust shells around a binary star system
@science@lemmy.world @science@beehaw.org @space@lemmy.world @space@newsmast.community #space #science #nasa #astronomy
What’s a carbon dust shell and why’s that cool?
@cyberpunk007@lemmy.ca A carbon dust shell is a layer of carbon-rich material expelled from a star in it’s later stages of life in which a star ejects these shells due to stellar instability since they are the lighter, outer elements of a star.
It’s cool because JWST could even resolve detail like that!! We can also learn more about the carbon chemistry of the system, binary dynamics, and the history of the system :D
It can resolve that, but can’t see the secret Nazi bases on the moon? Must be fake.
(I’m joking - this is awesome)
Thank you :)
Carbon is pretty important for earth, and it’s unclear how we have so much of it. Dual star systems shooting out carbon at 1% the speed of light kind of explains it pretty well: https://science.nasa.gov/missions/webb/webb-watches-carbon-rich-dust-shells-form-expand-in-star-system/
The JWST website has some more information!