NASA Hubble Space Telescope Sees 2 Doomed Stars Creating a Pretty Cosmic Necklace

Jace Dela Cruz, Tech Times 22 March 2024, 05:03 am

The NASA Hubble Space Telescope has captured a stunning sight in the cosmos: two dying stars engaged in a celestial dance, creating what astronomers have dubbed the "Necklace Nebula," a breathtaking display resembling a diamond necklace suspended in space.

Situated approximately 15,000 light-years away in the constellation of Sagitta (the Arrow), this planetary nebula is a testament to the cosmic beauty found throughout the universe.

Hubble Views a Dazzling Cosmic Necklace — This newly released image from the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope provides a fresh perspective on the Necklace Nebula. This nebula features two dying stars, creating the illusion of a dazzling necklace in space. (Photo: ESA/Hubble & NASA, K. Noll)

Adorning the Cosmos with the Necklace Nebula

The Necklace Nebula, also known by its less poetic designation PN G054.203.4, was formed around 25,000 years ago by a pair of Sun-like stars locked in a close orbital embrace.

One of these stars, nearing the end of its life cycle, swelled in size, enveloping its smaller companion in a phenomenon known as a "common envelope." As the larger star spun rapidly, vast amounts of its outer material were ejected into space, forming a luminous ring of gas and dust - the Necklace Nebula.

NASA notes that dense clusters of gas shine brightly within this expansive ring, resembling dazzling diamonds adorning a necklace. These luminous knots are illuminated by the intense ultraviolet light emitted by the central stars, adding to the nebula's ethereal beauty.

Despite their intimate celestial tango, the two stars at the heart of the Necklace Nebula are so close together that they appear as a single, brilliant point of light in the center of the nebula. Their orbits are incredibly swift, completing a full rotation in just over a day, underscoring the dynamic nature of this cosmic spectacle.

While Hubble has previously captured images of the Necklace Nebula, this latest photograph utilizes advanced processing techniques to provide astronomers with a clearer and more detailed view of this celestial phenomenon.

This composite image, which consists of multiple exposures captured by Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3, offers a fresh perspective on the nebula's intricate structure and beauty.

The Necklace Nebula, with its intricate ring structure and luminous knots, serves as a captivating example of the wonders found within our universe.

Untangling the Origins of the Necklace Nebula

According to Constellation Guide, the Necklace was formed approximately 10,000 years ago when a giant star approached too close to its binary companion, resulting in the creation of this stunning cosmic jewel.

The polar caps of the nebula, located approximately 1 arcminute from the central star, exhibit a fascinating pattern of expansion and kinematical age that offers insights into the evolution of the central star system. These observations shed light on the complex processes that govern the formation and evolution of planetary nebulae.

While the Necklace Nebula's beauty may be fleeting, with a lifespan of only about 10,000 years, its splendor serves as a reminder of the transient yet extraordinary nature of the cosmos.