Ageing​ ​Star​ ​Blows​ ​off​ ​a​ ​Smoky Bubble
New observations with ALMA​ ​caught a delicate​ ​bubble​ ​of​ ​expelled​ ​material around​ ​star​ ​U​ ​Antliae.
Taking advantage of the unique capacity of ALMA, astronomers took sharp​ ​images​ ​in different​ ​colours​...
…revealing the movement and fine structure of a delicate gas shell.
The material​ ​was​ ​ejected​ ​at​ ​high​ ​speed during a few​ ​hundred​ ​years​ ​of rapid mass loss of the star.
These​ ​shells are the main​ ​contributors​ ​to gas​ ​and​ ​dust​ ​located​ ​between​ ​stars​.
Such observations give us new​ ​insight into​ ​the​ ​last​ ​stages​ ​of​ ​stellar​ ​evolution​ ​and the​ ​future​ ​of​ ​our​ ​own​ ​Sun​.
Transcribed by ESO, translated by —