Exploding In Slow Motion

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Behold: Wolf-Rayet star 124 – the ultimate action hero backdrop –  its violent stellar winds expelling glowing plumes of gas 300 times larger than the earth. To wit:

Wolf-Rayet star WR 124, visible near the featured image center spanning six light years across, is thus creating the surrounding nebula known as M1-67. Details of why this star has been slowly blowing itself apart over the past 20,000 years remains a topic of research. WR 124 lies 15,000 light-years away towards the constellation of the Arrow (Sagitta). The fate of any given Wolf-Rayet star likely depends on how massive it is, but many are thought to end their lives with spectacular explosions such as supernovas or gamma-ray bursts.

(Image: Hubble Legacy Archive, NASA, ESA; Processing & License: Judy Schmidt)

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