Webb Resolves the Ring Nebula's Final Act

The Ring Nebula, also known as M57 and NGC 6720, is the textbook example of a planetary nebula: the glowing remains of a dying Sun-like star that has thrown off its outer layers as it runs out of fuel. At roughly 2,500 light-years away, it is close enough for Webb to resolve in extraordinary detail.

This NIRCam image reveals the intricate filament structure of the inner ring for the first time. The nebula contains some 20,000 dense globules rich in molecular hydrogen, while the interior glows with very hot gas. The main shell carries a thin ring of emission from carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Beyond the outer edge of the main ring, roughly ten concentric arcs ripple outward, a pattern that hints at the gravitational influence of a companion star shaping the dying star's final exhalations.