James Webb Telescope Unveils Scorching Star and Hidden Structures in Stunning Detail

UK astronomers have revealed stunning images and secrets from the Butterfly Nebula, a striking cosmic phenomenon. Located 3,400 light-years away, the nebula features "wings" of glowing gas. New images from the James Webb Space Telescope have uncovered hidden structures and pinpointed its central star, one of the hottest ever found, at 220,000 Celsius. The nebula also contains carbon-based molecules, similar to those in smoke and burnt toast.

The Butterfly Nebula is a "bipolar nebula" with a dense, dusty core called a torus. Using the James Webb's MIRI, scientists saw through the torus for the first time, revealing its complex structure. The central star's intense heat powers the nebula's glow, but earlier telescopes couldn't penetrate the dust.

The Webb data showed the torus is made of quartz-like crystals and large dust grains. Jets of iron and nickel blast from the star, along with a layered structure of atoms and molecules. Intriguingly, carbon-based molecules (PAHs) were found, never before seen in an oxygen-rich nebula. The team believes these PAHs may form when stellar wind bursts into surrounding gas.