Ung eller gammal? — Här finns båda
Denna veckas bild representerar ett oväntat ögonblick av födelse och död. Det avbildade objektet, känt som Ve 7–27, antogs länge vara en planetarisk nebulosa – slutfasen av en sollik stjärnas liv. Men ESO:s Very Large Telescope (VLT) har visat att det snarare rör sig om en nybildad stjärna.
I åratal har nebulosans sanna natur debatterats, men VLT:s MUSE-instrument har nu tagit den första detaljerade bilden av detta objekt. Den visar att Ve 7-27 kastar ut energiska jetstrålar prydda av knutar eller 'kulor', vilket är typiskt för nyfödda stjärnor. ”Istället för att vara ett sista andetag från en döende stjärna är Ve 7-27 en nyfödd stjärna”, säger Janette Suherli, doktorand vid University of Manitoba, Kanada, och huvudförfattare till studien som avslöjade detta överraskande fynd.
Men det finns en faktisk död stjärna som lurar precis i närheten. Den kompakta gulgröna fläcken till vänster om bildens mitt döljer en neutronstjärna som skapades när en massiv stjärna exploderade som en supernova. Denna nebulosa är en del av ett större moln som kastades ut vid explosionen, en supernovarest som går under namnet Vela Junior.
MUSE-observationerna avslöjade att den nybildade stjärnan Ve 7-27 är inbäddad i det material som kastades ut av supernovan. Avståndet till Vela Junior var inte känt med någon större precision tidigare, men nu vet vi att detta objekt ligger nära Ve 7-27. Eftersom Ve 7-27 ligger cirka 4500 ljusår bort, gör även Vela Junior det.
Tack vare det nu kända avståndet till Vela Junior vet vi nu äntligen dess storlek, hur snabbt den expanderar och därmed hur länge sedan supernovan exploderade, vilket löser årtionden av inkonsekvenser. Upptäckten ger därför insikter om inte bara den energiska unga stjärnan utan även om Vela Juniors sanna natur, och representerar ett "enastående fall av stjärnfödelse och stjärndöd som samexisterar sida vid sida i samma miljö", berättar Suherli.
Länkar
- Forskningsartikel
- Pressmeddelande från University of Manitoba
Källa:
ESO/J. Suherli et al.
Om bilden
| ID: | potw2604a |
| Språk: | sv |
| Typ: | Observation |
| Publiceringsdatum: | 26 januari 2026 15:00 |
| Storlek: | 1416 x 2012 px |
Om objektet
| Namn: | Ve 7–27, Vela Junior |
| Typ: | Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Young Stellar Object Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : Neutron Star Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Supernova Remnant Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Jet |
Skrivbordsunderlägg
Färger och filter
| Band | Våglängd | Teleskop |
|---|---|---|
| Synligt ljus Nickel | 737 nm | Very Large Telescope MUSE |
| Synligt ljus Nitrogen | 658 nm | Very Large Telescope MUSE |
| Synligt ljus H-alpha | 656 nm | Very Large Telescope MUSE |
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