#JamesWebb Reveals Intricate Details in the Remains of a Dying Star

There’s just one Ring Nebula to rule them all. Now Webb has turned its eye on this popular target, revealing the complexity of its structure in unprecedented detail — as well the possibility that the dying #star at its center has a companion.

Shown here are two views of this #nebula, one taken by Webb’s Near-Infrared Camera (#NIRCam) on the left, and one taken by its Mid-Infrared Instrument (#MIRI) on the right. MIRI provided the sharpest and clearest view of the faint halo outside the bright ring. Physical features within suggest there may be a companion star helping to sculpt the layers thrown off by the dying star.

The Ring Nebula is a “planetary nebula,” originally named for having a planet-like appearance through small telescopes. In actuality, planetary nebulae are the remains of a star’s death throes. And while the Ring Nebula resembles a ring when seen face-on, it's more of a donut shape (a torus) when viewed in three dimensions!