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2d ago

Webb Reveals Binary Interaction in Planetary Nebula NGC 6072 and Detects 2,500 Early Galaxies

This milestone release delivers the first joint mid- to near-infrared view linking binary-driven stellar death structures to an unprecedented deep-field census of early galaxies.

An area of deep space with thousands of galaxies in various shapes and sizes on a black background. Credit: ESA/NASA/CSA/the JADES Collaboration
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This Webb/NIRCam image shows NGC 6072, a planetary nebula approximately 4,048 light-years away in the constellation of Scorpius. Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI.
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Overview

  • New NIRCam and MIRI images of NGC 6072 expose multipolar outflows and concentric rings around its white dwarf core, matching predictions of a companion star shaping the nebula.
  • Mid-infrared observations trace ring-like patterns that mark successive mass-loss episodes, offering the clearest evidence yet for binary-influenced nebular architecture.
  • The MIDIS revisit of the Hubble Ultra Deep Field combines nearly 100 hours of MIRI and NIRCam exposure to produce the deepest mid-infrared extragalactic image to date.
  • Analysis of the combined deep-field data identifies roughly 2,500 sources—predominantly distant galaxies—distinguished by false-color signatures of dust content, star formation activity and redshift.
  • Following safe-mode interruptions in December 2022, teams completed the sixth MIDIS visit in December 2023 and added key MIRI wavelengths in December 2024 to assemble the full deep-field dataset.