The Ring Nebula is the glowing remains of a dead star.
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), the most powerful telescope developed by mankind, has again peered into space and captured stunning photos of the end stages of a star. The pictures show unprecedented levels of detail of what appears to be a doughnut-type structure called Ring Nebula. It was born after the dying star expelled its outer layers into space. The mesmerising photos released by American space agency NASA and its European counterpart show a glowing green and purple eye, presenting the nebula in a new light.
Also known as Messier 57 (M57), the nebula is located 2,600 light years from Earth, said the BBC. It quoted scientists as saying that the discovery is important because it could provide insights into the lifecycle of stars.
"We are witnessing the final chapters of a star's life, a preview of the sun's distant future so to speak, and JWST's observations have opened a new window into understanding these awe-inspiring cosmic events," Dr Mike Barlow, co-leader of the team of astronomers who released the images, told the outlet.
"We can use the Ring Nebula as our laboratory to study how planetary nebulae form and evolve," the expert said.
The Ring Nebula is the glowing remains of a dead star, a class of space object known as "planetary nebula", according to space.com. The white speck at the centre of the nebula is actually a white dwarf, the remains of the star that's extinct.
The international research team analysing these images has researchers from the UK, France, Canada, US, Sweden, Spain, Brazil, Ireland and Belgium.