JWST peers inside a dying star's "exposed cranium"

"Whenever stars are born, their masses determines their fates. Sun-like stars evolve into giants, blow off their outer layers, and contract: forming white dwarfs. Significantly more massive stars become supergiants, destined to violently die in supernovae. The line separating the two is blurry, as both star types experience winds and ejecta before dying."

"However, JWST just imaged it across many wavelengths, with both NIRCam and MIRI. Near-infrared views showcase early hydrogen ejecta and complex, dusty internal structure. Meanwhile, mid-infrared views highlight the heated dusty innards, including along the dust lanes. Dividing the exposed cranium's "hemispheres" in NIRCam data, the MIRI data instead unifies them."

"It may yet be a Wolf-Rayet star that will die in a supernova. Alternatively, it may soon form a pre-planetary nebula, eventually becoming a white dwarf. Either way, JWST's power has unveiled unprecedented cosmic details."

A star's mass determines its evolutionary path and ultimate fate. Sun-like stars become white dwarfs after shedding outer layers, while massive stars become supergiants ending in supernovae. The boundary between these outcomes remains unclear. The Exposed Cranium Nebula, located 5000 light-years away, contains a star whose destiny is undetermined. Previous observations by Spitzer and Gaia revealed limited details about its dust-rich structure. JWST's recent multi-wavelength imaging using NIRCam and MIRI instruments provides unprecedented detail. Near-infrared observations show hydrogen ejecta and complex dusty internal structure, while mid-infrared data highlights heated dust regions. The central star may become either a Wolf-Rayet star experiencing supernova or evolve into a pre-planetary nebula forming a white dwarf.

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