Tag

Weave

All articles tagged with #weave

science2 months ago•6 min saved

Iron Bar Mystery Emerges at Ring Nebula's Core

Astronomers using the WEAVE instrument on the William Herschel Telescope have found a giant, straight bar of ionized iron at the center of the Ring Nebula, a first for a nebula. The iron bar is unusually massive and not explained by a jet from the white dwarf or by iron release from dust; its 3D shape could extend beyond our line of sight, and a torn-apart planet origin is unlikely. More observations of other nebulae are needed to uncover the iron's origin.

via ScienceAlert|

#iron #planetary-nebula #ring-nebula

space2 months ago•3 min saved

Cosmic Iron Bar Spans Ring Nebula, Baffling Scientists

Using the WEAVE instrument in the Canary Islands, astronomers mapped the Ring Nebula (M57) and discovered a rare, 3.7 trillion‑mile‑long bar of ionized iron spanning its interior, containing as much iron as Earth’s molten core. The origin is unknown—potentially the vaporized remains of a rocky planet or a product of nebular processes—and researchers plan further observations to see if other elements are present and how common such features are in nebulae.

via PetaPixel|

#astronomy #iron-bar #planetary-nebula

space2 months ago•74 min saved

Ring Nebula Reveals a Hidden Iron Bar, Stoking New Space Clues

Researchers using the William Herschel Telescope’s WEAVE instrument detected a long, ionized-iron structure—an iron bar—within the Ring Nebula (M57). The bar extends roughly 1,000 Pluto–Sun distances and contains iron mass about that of Mars, located in the nebula’s inner region. Its origin is unknown, with theories ranging from the star’s outer-layer ejection to vaporizing a rocky planet. A follow-up study at higher resolution is planned, and the team published their findings in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

via Space|

#iron-bar #planetary-nebula #ring-nebula

science2 months ago•2 min saved

Colossal iron bar in Ring Nebula hints at Earth's distant future

Astronomers using the WEAVE instrument have detected a large, bar-shaped cloud of ionized iron inside the Ring Nebula, about 2,283 light-years away and roughly 500 times wider than Pluto's orbit. Origin remains unclear, with theories ranging from formation during the nebula's birth to iron left behind by a destroyed planet. If confirmed, it could offer a glimpse of how the Sun's expansion may engulf Earth in the future. Further observations are planned to determine the bar's nature and origin.

via BBC|

#cardiff-university #earths-future #iron