NASA's James Webb Space Telescope Reveals Unseen Details of Exploded Star

High-Resolution Image of Supernova Remnant Cassiopeia A Unveils New Features and 'Baby Cas A'

NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has captured a new high-resolution image of the supernova remnant Cassiopeia A (Cas A), revealing intricate details previously unseen.
The image shows the expanding shell of material from the exploded star slamming into the gas shed by the star before it exploded, providing transformational insight into how the star exploded.
Webb's Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) was used to capture the image, displaying the stellar explosion at a resolution previously unreachable at these wavelengths.
Features invisible in the earlier mid-infrared image taken by Webb's Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI) were revealed in the NIRCam image, sparking further investigation by astronomers.
A new structure, nicknamed 'Baby Cas A', was discovered in the NIRCam image, believed to be a light echo where light from the star's explosion has reached and is warming distant dust.