韦布空间望远镜拍摄狮头星云

探索宇宙（universe）！每天都会展示一张我们迷人宇宙的不同图像或照片，并附上一段由专业天文学家（astronomer）撰写的简短说明。

Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

说明：我们是在观察太阳的未来吗？韦布空间望远镜（James Webb Space Telescope，JWST）利用其 NIRCam 和 MIRI 仪器拍摄了今天这张狮头星云（NGC 2392）的合成图像。狮头星云是一颗类太阳恒星（Sun-like star）的残骸。这颗恒星无法维持其核心所需的核聚变（nuclear fusion）以保持稳定。它开始向太空抛射气体和尘埃层，形成了这个行星状星云（planetary nebula）。在狮子的鼻部位置，留下了一个被称为白矮星（white dwarf）的炽热恒星核心。不要触碰这个鼻子！来自白矮星的强烈辐射正在电离膨胀中的气体，形成了构成狮子面部的不规则气泡。在白矮星辐射下幸存的尘埃团和一团电离气体构成了狮子的鬃毛。这张关于星云（nebula）的全新且更详细的图像，将帮助人类进一步了解气体和尘埃如何与白矮星辐射相互作用。

Explanation: Are we looking at the future of our Sun? The James Webb Space Telescope captured today’s composite image of the Lion’s Head Nebula (NGC 2392) with its NIRCam and MIRI instruments. The Lion’s Head Nebula is the remnant of a Sun-like star. This star was unable to sustain the nuclear fusion in its core needed to remain stable. It began to shed layers of gas and dust into space, forming this planetary nebula. A hot stellar core, called a white dwarf, is left behind within the lion’s nose. Do not boop this nose! Intense radiation from the white dwarf is ionizing the gas as it expands, creating the irregular bubble that makes up the lion’s face. Dust clumps that have survived the white dwarf’s radiation and a cloud of ionized gas make up the lion’s mane. This new and more detailed view of the nebula will help humanity learn more about how the gas and dust interact with each other and the white dwarf radiation.