Sometimes the best way to escape from problems on Earth is a short “trip” into space, and Helix nebula is the perfect destination for that. Thanks to the space telescope James Webb (JWST)we now have a new, extremely detailed infrared photograph of this nebula, which reveals its complex internal structure like never before.
The Helix Nebula is a planetary nebula discovered at the beginning of the 19th century, located in the constellation Aquarius about 655 light years from Earth. Due to its circular shape and striking central “pupil”, it is often called the “Eye of God” or the “Eye of Sauron”.
Webb’s new photo of the Helix nebulae essentially shows a cosmic “moment of death” that simultaneously prepares the conditions for a new birth. The dying star in the center (which is out of frame in the close-up of Webb’s image) is shedding its outer layers, forming a vast cloud structure of gas and dust.
As the ejected gas and dust cool, they become the raw material from which new stars and potentially planetary systems can be formed in the distant future. It is this circulation of matter – from the death of an old star to the birth of new ones – that makes the Helix nebulae an ideal example of cosmic recycling.
Webb, Hubble and comet nodes
EngadgetWhile Hubble provided a striking wider picture of the Helix nebulae back in 2004, James Webb is going a step further with his NIRCam (Near-Infrared Camera) camera, diving into the fine structure of the nebula. In Webb’s image, the stem-like, reddish structures known as comet nodes are especially prominent.
The European Space Agency (ESA) describes these shapes as the result of the collision of hot, fast-growing winds from a dying star with cooler, previously ejected envelopes of gas and dust, carving the nebula’s striking architecture. These nodes are not only visually attractive, but also carry information about the dynamics, density and chemical composition of the material in the final stages of the star’s life.
Colors, temperature and chemistry
In the new image of the Helix nebulae, the colors are not just aesthetics, but a code that reveals the temperature and chemistry of the gas. Soft tones of blue indicate the hottest gas, energized by intense ultraviolet radiation from the red-hot stellar core.
Yellow areas indicate regions where hydrogen bonds into molecules, away from the glowing center, where the gas is cooler. At the outer rims, the reddish-orange hues show the coolest material, where the gas thins and dust begins to form.
Why the Helix Nebula is important
The Helix Nebula is one of the closest and most thoroughly studied planetary nebulae, which makes it a key laboratory “model” for understanding both the Solar System and the evolution of similar stars. By observing the process of mass loss, dust formation and the interaction of hot winds with previously ejected envelopes, astronomers map more precisely the scenarios of the future fate of stars similar to the Sun.
At the same time, such images provide a strong popular-scientific dimension because they combine science and spectacular aesthetics, restoring public interest in astronomy in times when news from Earth is often discouraging, writes Engadget. In this sense, the Helix Nebula is not only a scientific object, but also a visual reminder that the universe is both cruel and extremely beautiful at the same time.