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NEW JWST IMAGE shows SEVENTEEN carbon dust shells around a binary star system
(storage.science.social)
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
Thank you :)
It can resolve that, but can't see the secret Nazi bases on the moon? Must be fake.
(I'm joking - this is awesome)
Ooh, I guess it can discern surface of close stars as well? Like, the betelgeuse image but in better resolution.
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!