NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has begun the study of one of the most renowned supernovae, SN 1987A (Supernova 1987A). Located 168,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud, SN 1987A has been a target of intense observations at wavelengths ranging from gamma rays to radio for nearly 40 years, since its discovery in February of 1987. New observations by Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) provide a crucial clue to our understanding of how a supernova develops over time to shape its remnant.
Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared
Camera) captured this detailed image of SN 1987A (Supernova 1987A). At the
center, material ejected from the supernova forms a keyhole shape. Just to its
left and right are faint crescents newly discovered by Webb. Beyond them an
equatorial ring, formed from material ejected tens of thousands of years before
the supernova explosion, contains bright hot spots. Exterior to that is diffuse
emission and two faint outer rings. In this image blue represents light at 1.5
microns (F150W), cyan 1.64 and 2.0 microns (F164N, F200W), yellow 3.23 microns
(F323N), orange 4.05 microns (F405N), and red 4.44 microns (F444W).
Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, M.
Matsuura (Cardiff University), R. Arendt (NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center
& University of Maryland, Baltimore County), C. Fransson
Download the full
resolution image from the Space Telescope Science Institute.
This image reveals a central
structure like a keyhole. This center is packed with clumpy gas and dust
ejected by the supernova explosion. The dust is so dense that even
near-infrared light that Webb detects can’t penetrate it, shaping the dark
“hole” in the keyhole.
A bright, equatorial ring surrounds
the inner keyhole, forming a band around the waist that connects two faint arms
of hourglass-shaped outer rings. The equatorial ring, formed from material
ejected tens of thousands of years before the supernova explosion, contains
bright hot spots, which appeared as the supernova’s shock wave hit the ring. Now spots are found even exterior
to the ring, with diffuse emission surrounding it. These are the locations of
supernova shocks hitting more exterior material.
While these structures have
been observed to varying
degrees by
NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer Space Telescopes and Chandra X-ray Observatory, the
unparalleled sensitivity and spatial resolution of Webb revealed a new feature
in this supernova remnant – small crescent-like structures. These crescents are
thought to be a part of the outer layers of gas shot out from the supernova
explosion. Their brightness may be an indication of limb brightening, an
optical phenomenon that results from viewing the expanding material in three
dimensions. In other words, our viewing angle makes it appear that there is
more material in these two crescents than there actually may be.
The high resolution of these images
is also noteworthy. Before Webb, the now-retired Spitzer telescope observed
this supernova in infrared throughout its entire lifespan, yielding key data
about how its emissions evolved over time. However, it was never able to observe the supernova with such
clarity and detail.
Webb’s NIRCam (Near-Infrared
Camera) captured this detailed image of SN 1987A (Supernova 1987A), which has
been annotated to highlight key structures. At the center, material ejected
from the supernova forms a keyhole shape. Just to its left and right are faint
crescents newly discovered by Webb. Beyond them an equatorial ring, formed from
material ejected tens of thousands of years before the supernova explosion,
contains bright hot spots. Exterior to that is diffuse emission and two faint
outer rings. In this image blue represents light at 1.5 microns (F150W), cyan
1.64 and 2.0 microns (F164N, F200W), yellow 3.23 microns (F323N), orange 4.05
microns (F405N), and red 4.44 microns (F444W).
Credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, M.
Matsuura (Cardiff University), R. Arendt (NASA’s Goddard Spaceflight Center
& University of Maryland, Baltimore County), C. Fransson (Stockholm
University), and J. Larsson (KTH Royal Institute of Technology). Image Processing:
A. Pagan
Download the full
resolution image from the Space Telescope Science Institute.
Despite the decades of study since
the supernova’s initial discovery, there are several mysteries that remain,
particularly surrounding the neutron star that should have been formed in the
aftermath of the supernova explosion. Like Spitzer, Webb will continue to
observe the supernova over time. Its NIRSpec (Near-Infrared Spectrograph) and
MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) instruments will offer astronomers the ability
to capture new, high-fidelity infrared data over time and gain new insights
into the newly identified crescent structures. Further, Webb will continue to
collaborate with Hubble, Chandra, and other observatories to provide new
insights into the past and future of this legendary supernova.
The James Webb Space Telescope is the world's premier space science observatory. Webb is solving mysteries in our solar system, looking beyond to distant worlds around other stars, and probing the mysterious structures and origins of our universe and our place in it. Webb is an international program led by NASA with its partners, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Canadian Space Agency.
Source: Webb Reveals New Structures Within Iconic Supernova | NASA
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