James Webb enabled astronomers to observe the formation of neutron stars

Astronomers have a unique opportunity to study the early stages of the formation and existence of this rare object. Astronomers have confirmed that a star that exploded as a supernova more than 30 years ago and was visible from Earth has transformed into a neutron star.

In 1987, astronomers witnessed a supernova explosion in a nearby galaxy. The star’s intense burst of light made it visible to the naked eye for several months. For years, scientists could only speculate about what became of the star’s remains: black holes or neutron stars, the densest objects in the universe after black holes. However, this is just a guess, as astronomers have not been able to see through the star’s debris, which is hidden by large amounts of dust. However, thanks to the James Webb Space Telescope, it is now possible to collect data in the infrared range. Scientists noticed the presence of two chemical elements, argon and sulfur, which indicate the presence of a neutron star. Because this flare is new and well-tracked, the discovery should help astronomers better understand this type of phenomenon and how it fills the universe with important elements such as carbon and iron. Neutron stars formed as a result of supernova explosions have standard properties. Its dimensions are 20 kilometers and its mass is more than 1.5 times that of the Sun. Scientists believe that despite the presence of nearby but older neutron stars in our galaxy, modern astronomy witnessed the birth and early moments of neutron stars only in the aftermath of supernova 1987A. He says there is a high possibility. “Next to black holes, neutron stars are the most exotic objects in the universe.” “We’ve known about them since the 1960s, but previously we had no way of knowing how they form,” said lead author of the study and an astrophysicist at the University of Sweden in Stockholm. Claes Franson said. In the preserved supernova remnant data, a “ring of pearls” can be seen around the dust cloud. According to astronomers, there is a neutron star at the center of this cloud. Because the supernovae were so new and so close together, they were “gifts that tell us about neutrinos, stellar evolution, and what happens after they explode,” writes Stanford University astrophysicist Roger Blandford. ing. James Webb’s observations will provide an opportunity to delve deeper into the world of neutron stars and will help expand our knowledge of the physics of star explosions, the formation of heavy elements in the universe, and the evolution of stars. This research opens new horizons in astronomy and expands our understanding of the processes that occur after a star dies.