AssetID: 53296344
Headline: RAW VIDEO: JWST Captures Cassiopeia A Shining Like A Christmas Bauble
Caption: In a new image captured by NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A) shines like a Christmas bauble. As part of the 2023 Holidays at the White House, the First Lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden, unveiled the inaugural White House Advent Calendar, celebrating the "Magic, Wonder, and Joy" of the festive season with this exquisite image from Webb. This unique view of Cas A, taken by Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), offers a high-resolution depiction of the stellar explosion, showcasing intricate details of the expanding shell of material colliding with the gas shed by the star before it erupted. Cas A, a well-studied supernova remnant, has been observed by various observatories over the years, including NASA's Chandra X-Ray Observatory, Hubble Space Telescope, and retired Spitzer Space Telescope. Webb's MIRI (Mid-Infrared Instrument) initiated a new chapter in the study of Cas A in April 2023, revealing unexpected features within the inner shell of the supernova remnant. The NIRCam image, while less colorful than the MIRI image, unveils vibrant clumps in bright orange and light pink, representing the inner shell of the remnant. Webb's sharp resolution allows the detection of minute knots of gas containing sulfur, oxygen, argon, and neon from the exploded star. The filaments of debris, some too small to be resolved by Webb, are comparable to or less than 10 billion miles across, highlighting the intricate aftermath of the star's explosion. The image also reveals a mixture of dust and molecules embedded in the gas, which will contribute to the formation of new stars and planetary systems. Webb's near-infrared view captures the shattered remnants of the dying star, providing transformative insights into the explosive event. A comparison with the mid-infrared view shows variations in color, indicating the impact of the supernova blast wave on circumstellar material. The outermost shell appears like smoke from a campfire, where the dust lights up in the mid-infrared. Notable features, such as the loop of green light known as the Green Monster, are not visible in the near-infrared view. Instead, researchers identify circular holes outlined in white and purple emission as ionized gas, sculpted by the supernova debris pushing through the gas left behind by the star. One remarkable feature in the bottom right corner of NIRCam’s field of view, dubbed Baby Cas A, is identified as a light echo. This occurs when light from the star's explosion reaches and warms distant dust, causing it to glow as it cools down. The intricate dust pattern of Baby Cas A and its apparent proximity to Cas A raise intriguing questions for researchers. Cas A, located 11,000 light-years away in the constellation Cassiopeia, is estimated to have exploded about 340 years ago from our vantage point. The stunning image offers a festive and scientific treat, combining the magic of the holiday season with the wonder of celestial exploration.
Keywords: christmas,bauble,cassiopeia,feature,space,jwst,james webb,nasa,science,white house,photo feature
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