"Eye of God" in flames: Webb telescope reveals the secret of a star's death throes

The James Webb Space Telescope has unveiled stunning images of the Helix Nebula, often dubbed the "Eye of Sauron" or "Eye of God" due to its distinctive shape. Located 655 light-years from our planet, this colossal structure is the aftermath of a star's demise, once similar to our Sun. The new images offer an unprecedented glimpse into the heart of this cosmic catastrophe with details previously inaccessible to humanity. This was reported by ArsTechnica, writes UNN.

Details

The central part of the nebula is a white dwarf – a glowing "corpse" of a star whose ultraviolet radiation ignites the surrounding gas. Webb's images clearly show the distribution of temperatures and chemical elements:

Blue glow: the hottest areas of ionized gas directly near the core.

Golden and yellow filaments: areas of molecular hydrogen where matter begins to cool.

Red edges: the coldest dust clouds scattering into the void.

Cosmic Recycling of Matter

These colors are not just a visual effect, but a roadmap for the transformation of a dead star into building material for future planets. Webb has captured protective "pockets" in the dust clouds where complex molecules are already beginning to form. Scientists are convinced: what we see as the "last breath" of one system is actually the beginning of the birth of new stellar worlds in the distant future.