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Webb Telescope Discovers Neutron Star in Supernova 1987A Remnants

The discovery provides crucial insights into the aftermath of supernovae and the life cycle of stars.

The NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope has observed the best evidence yet for emission from a neutron star at the site of a well-known and recently-observed supernova.
image: @coffeekai | iStock
Figure 1. Combination of a Hubble image of SN 1987A and the compact highly ionized argon source in Fig. 2. The faint blue source in the centre was detected by the NIRSpec instrument on JWST. Outside of this is the rest of the supernova, which contains the most mass and is expanding at thousands of kilometers every second. The inner bright "string of pearls" is gas from the star's outer layers that was ejected about 20,000 years before the explosion. The collision between the rapidly expanding supernova remnant and the ring gives rise to the heated clumps in the ring. Outside the inner ring are two outer rings, which probably arose at the same time as the inner ring was formed. The bright stars to the left and right of the inner ring are unrelated to the supernova. (Illustration: HST, JWST/NIRSpec, J. Larsson)
A composite image of the supernova remnant SN 1987A, made up of X-rays, optical and submillimeter wavelengths. It's home to the youngest detected neutron star

Overview

  • NASA's James Webb Telescope has discovered a neutron star at the center of Supernova 1987A, providing the best evidence yet for its existence.
  • The discovery resolves a long-standing mystery about the aftermath of supernovae, shedding light on the life cycle of stars and the cosmic origins of essential elements.
  • Observations revealed ionized argon and sulfur atoms at the core of the supernova remnant, indicative of the presence of a neutron star.
  • The neutron star's detection is a significant milestone in understanding the processes underlying core-collapse supernovae and stellar evolution.
  • Further observations with the Webb Telescope and other ground-based telescopes are anticipated to provide more insights into the nature of the compact object.