APOD: 2026 August 26 Б JWST Images The Lion's Head Nebula
Explanation:
Are we looking at the future of our
Sun?
The
James Webb Space Telescope
captured
todayБs composite image
of the LionБs Head Nebula
(NGC 2392)
with its
NIRCam and
MIRI
instruments. The LionБs Head Nebula is the
remnant of a Sun-like star.
This star was unable to sustain the
nuclear fusion
in its core needed to remain stable. It began to shed layers of gas and dust into space,
forming this
planetary nebula.
A hot stellar core, called a
white dwarf,
is left behind within the lionБs nose. Do not
boop
this nose! Intense radiation from the white dwarf is
ionizing
the gas as it expands, creating the irregular bubble that makes up the lionБs face.
Dust clumps
that have survived the white dwarfБs radiation and a cloud of ionized gas make up the lionБs mane. This
new and more detailed view
of the nebula will help humanity learn more about how the gas and dust interact with each other and the white dwarf radiation.
Authors & editors:
Robert Nemiroff
(MTU) &
Jerry Bonnell
(USRA)
NASA Web Site Statements, Warnings,
and Disclaimers
NASA Official: Jay Norris.
Specific
rights apply.
A service of:
LHEA at
NASA /
GSFC
& Michigan Tech. U.
