The Ring Nebula (M57) is more complicated than it appears through a small telescope. The easily visible central ring is about one light-year across, but this remarkably deep exposure - a collaborative effort combining data from three different large telescopes - explores the looping filaments of glowing gas extending much farther from the nebula's central star.
The one ring that rules them all has been observed by #NASAWebb!
The remains of a dying Sun-like star, the Ring Nebula has given astronomers valuable insights into the formation and evolution of planetary nebulas: https://webbtelescope.pub/3KLruXq
The famous Ring Nebula is seen in brilliant new clarity, thanks to a new James Webb Space Telescope image released by researchers in the JWST Ring Nebula Imaging Project.
The image was processed by Roger Wesson, according to Western University in Ontario.