                        Astronomy Picture of the Day

    Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                                2022 July 14

                         Webb's Southern Ring Nebula
                 Image Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, NIRCam

   Explanation: Cataloged as NGC 3132 the Southern Ring Nebula is a
   planetary nebula, the death shroud of a dying sun-like star some 2,500
   light-years from Earth. Composed of gas and dust the stunning cosmic
   landscape is nearly half a light-year in diameter, explored in
   unprecedented detail by the James Webb Space Telescope. In this NIRCam
   image the bright star near center is a companion of the dying star. In
   mutual orbit, the star whose transformation has ejected the nebula's
   gas and dust shells over thousands of years is the fainter stellar
   partner. Evolving to become a white dwarf, the faint star appears along
   the diffraction spike extending toward the 8 o'clock position. This
   stellar pair's orbital motion has resulted the complex structures
   within the Southern Ring Nebula.

                    Tomorrow's picture: Clavius and Tycho
     __________________________________________________________________

       Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (UMCP)
            NASA Official: Phillip Newman Specific rights apply.
                NASA Web Privacy Policy and Important Notices
                      A service of: ASD at NASA / GSFC
                             & Michigan Tech. U.

