James Webb Telescope Images Lion Nebula, Revealing Stellar Evolution

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has captured new infrared images of NGC 2392, known as the Lion Nebula. These images provide detailed views of the nebula, which is the remnant of a dying star.

The nebula's distinct shape resembles a lion. A central white dwarf star, the core of the former star, emits radiation. This radiation sculpts the surrounding gas and dust, forming the nebula's features. The Hubble Space Telescope previously observed the nebula in 2000, showing its visible light structures.

Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) and Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) revealed hidden details. These include dense dust concentrations and ionized gas regions. The gas and dust have been evolving for thousands of years and continue to change. The central white dwarf drives these complex structures.

Lower-mass stars, unlike massive stars that end in supernovae, shed their outer layers as they die. These expelled layers form expanding shells of gas and dust, creating a planetary nebula. The exposed stellar core becomes a hot white dwarf.

In the Lion Nebula, the oxygen-rich central star's white dwarf "cooks" the nebula. Its intense radiation creates a bubble of ionized gas, forming the lion's face. This bubble expands, sweeping away dust. The nebula's "mane" consists of dense dust clumps that resist the radiation, shielding material behind them.

Astronomers estimate the Lion Nebula will disperse in approximately 10,000 years. This is a relatively short period in astronomical terms. The European Space Agency (ESA) provided the telescope's launch service and contributed to its instruments.