The Hubble Space Telescope, a joint mission of NASA and the European Space Agency, recently celebrated 34 years of service in orbit. To commemorate this milestone, astronomers captured a stunning image of the Small Dumbbell Nebula, also known as Messier 76 or M76, located 3,400 light-years away in the constellation of Perseus. The image reveals a “cosmic dumbbell” shape created by a dying star ejecting bright gas.
M76 is classified as a planetary nebula, formed when a dying red giant star ejects a shell of bright gases before collapsing into a white dwarf. The nebula’s unique shape, with a central bar structure and two lobes, has fascinated astronomers since it was first observed in detail in 1891. The observed ring of gas and dust was likely sculpted by the effects of a binary companion star that has now disappeared.
The white dwarf at the center of M76 is incredibly hot, with a temperature of 250,000 degrees Fahrenheit, making it one of the hottest known stellar remnants. The star is expelling a hurricane-like flow of material, propelling gas clouds at speeds of 3.2 million kilometers per hour. The collision of these gas clouds with previously ejected material causes the gases to glow in red and blue hues.
Since its launch in 1990, the Hubble Space Telescope has provided researchers with valuable insights into our universe, making over 1.6 million observations of more than 53,000 astronomical objects. Its data, stored in the Mikulski Archive for Space Telescopes, has led to the publication of over 44,000 scientific articles. Despite being oversubscribed by a factor of six to one, Hubble continues to make groundbreaking discoveries in various fields of astrophysics.
Hubble’s research will be complemented by the James Webb Space Telescope, which observes the universe in infrared light. Together, these telescopes will provide a sharper, deeper view of the cosmos, helping astronomers unravel the mysteries of supernovae, exoplanets, distant galaxies, and more. The synergy between Hubble and Webb will expand research in areas such as protostellar disks, unusual supernovae, and the chemistry of the early universe.