The James Webb Space Telescope has captured an incredible image of Cassiopeia A (Cas A), a supernova remnant formed through the explosion of a massive star.
+NASA Highlights Incredible Lunar View Aboard Orion Spacecraft
+Threads could be launched in the European Union later this year
Sharing the new image, NASA highlighted its colors and shape, describing the Cassiopeia A supernova remnant as a beautiful Christmas ornament. The remnant is visible through the expanding shell of material ejected by the star’s explosion, and its brightness is also attributed to the star’s gas before its demise.
The high resolution of Webb’s NIRCam, the powerful near-infrared camera, reveals details of the expansion of the shell of material from the star before its explosion, providing an unprecedented perspective.
The image offers an unprecedented view of the Cas A supernova, previously unattainable in terms of resolution in these infrared ranges. This supernova remnant, widely studied over the years by various observatories, now enters a new phase of exploration with the advanced capabilities of the James Webb Space Telescope.
To: You, From: The Universe 🎁
This stunning new Webb image is a gift from a past star. In near-infrared light, supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A) resembles a shiny ornament. Embedded within gas from the star are the materials for new stars & planets: https://t.co/9kIvQtEnpb pic.twitter.com/vzzaWrzPBA
— NASA Webb Telescope (@NASAWebb) December 11, 2023
