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When the Sun Dies, it Could Produce a Fantastic Ring in Space, Like This New Image From JWST

We recently got a new image of the famous Ring Nebula from JWST using its NIRCam instrument. This week we got an update taken with MIRI. The Ring Nebula is a perfect example of a planetary nebula, where a dying star throws its outer layers off into space. The new images reveal 20,000 individual clumps of dense molecular gas, each as massive as Earth. There is a narrow band of hydrocarbons in the ring, which surprised astronomers with its presence. The Ring Nebula is only 2,200 light-years from Earth, which makes it the ideal object to study, giving us clues about the future of our own Sun.

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