The Nebulous Realm of WR 134

The Nebulous Realm of WR 134

Image Credit &
Copyright:

Xin Long

Explanation:

Made with narrowband filters,
this cosmic snapshot
covers a field of view over twice as wide as the full Moon within the
boundaries of the constellation Cygnus.

It highlights the bright edge of a ring-like nebula traced by the
glow of ionized hydrogen and oxygen gas.

Embedded in
the region’s expanse of interstellar clouds,
the complex, glowing arcs are sections of shells of material
swept up by the wind from
Wolf-Rayet star WR 134,
brightest star near the center of the frame.

Distance estimates put WR 134 about 6,000 light-years away, making
the frame over 100 light-years across.

Shedding
their outer envelopes in powerful stellar winds,
massive Wolf-Rayet stars have burned through their nuclear fuel at a
prodigious rate
and end this final phase of massive star evolution in
a spectacular supernova explosion.

The stellar winds and final supernova enrich the interstellar
material with heavy elements
to be incorporated in
future generations of stars.