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New Spectrograph Reveals Mars-Mass Iron Bar in the Ring Nebula

Follow-up with WEAVE will test whether other elements align with the iron-only signal to distinguish planetary debris from stellar ejecta.

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A near-infrared image of the Ring Nebula revealing the complexity of its structure in unprecedented detail is seen in a composite image taken by the James Webb Telescope and released by NASA on August 21, 2023. Physical features within suggest there may be a companion star helping to sculpt the layers thrown off by the dying star. NASA/ESA/Handout via REUTERS
Images of the Ring Nebula taken by WEAVE.
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Overview

  • Astronomers using the WEAVE instrument’s Large Integral Field Unit mapped the Ring Nebula and uncovered a narrow vein of highly ionised iron across its inner region.
  • The structure spans roughly 3.7 trillion miles (6 trillion km) and contains an iron mass comparable to that of Mars.
  • WEAVE’s continuous, nebula-wide spectra isolated [Fe V] emission at 422.7 nm, revealing a feature that earlier instruments with limited coverage and sampling missed.
  • The origin remains unresolved, with leading hypotheses including asymmetric stellar outflows or a vaporized rocky planet, which researchers stress is still speculative.
  • The team plans higher spectral-resolution WEAVE observations to check for co-located elements and will survey other planetary nebulae to assess how common such iron-dominated bars are.