Supernova 1987A - Hubble and JWST (IMAGE)
Caption
Combination of a Hubble Space Telescope image of SN 1987A and the compact argon source. The faint blue source in the centre is the emission from the compact source detected with the JWST/NIRSpec instrument. Outside this is the stellar debris, containing most of the mass, expanding at thousands of km/second. The inner bright “string of pearls” is the gas from the outer layers of the star that was expelled about 20,000 years before the final explosion. The is the fast debris are now colliding with the ring, explaining the bright spots. Outside of the inner ring are two outer rings, presumably produced by the same process as formed the inner ring. The bright stars to the left and right of the inner ring are unrelated to the supernova.
Credit
Hubble Space Telescope WFPC-3/James Webb Space Telescope NIRSpec/J. Larsson
Usage Restrictions
Credit must be given to the creator.
License
CC BY