![]() Because it is so cold, it can't be seen in near-infrared but it does appear in mid-infrared. As the blast ripples out into space, it hits the cold matter around it. This appears to be the result of ionized gas, emitted before the star exploded and then shaped by debris thrown off as it went supernova.Īlso noticeable in the newest image is what looks like smoke coming from the remnant - this is caused by the explosion. The new image - on the left - reveals strange circular holes in the center of the remnant, outlined by white and purple gas. Which begs the question: What happened to it? The mystery could help astronomers piece together exactly what the supernova looked like as it happened. While that light is invisible to humans, it revealed a tempestuous state of affairs in the heart of the remnant including vast clouds of oxygen, argon, and neon gasses, as well as swirling dust.īut when scientists took another peek, this time using the Webb Telescope's near-infrared camera, almost all the bright green and pink gas captured in the April image appears to be gone. Here's the deal: In April, scientists used the Webb Telescope to look at Cassiopeia A in the mid-infrared light range. Namely, some of Cassiopeia A seems to be missing. (Web Desk) - Cassiopeia A is one of the most well-studied supernova remnants in our universe.ĭiscovered in 1948, it is the leftover dust and gas of a gargantuan explosion that occurred when a star 11,000 light-years away from Earth died.īut despite how many times astronomers have looked at the remnant, a brand-new image created by scientists using the James Webb Space Telescope were shocked by what they saw. ![]()
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