James Webb Space Telescope Feed Post

Webb Reveals New Structures Within Iconic Supernova Supernova 1987a (NIRCam Image)

Floating in space like a cosmic jellyfish… This is one of the most famous supernovas, SN 1987A. These remains of an exploded star have been well-studied since their discovery in 1987. Webb’s sensitivity and resolution has given us the most clear and detailed look yet, revealing a new feature: small crescent-like structures thought to be a part of the outer layers of gas shot out from the supernova explosion. Learn more: go.nasa.gov/47SE9BM Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, Mikako Matsuura (Cardiff University), Richard Arendt (NASA-GSFC, UMBC), Claes Fransson (Stockholm University), Josefin Larsson (KTH) Image Processing: A. Pagan (STScI). Image & Description by NASA