RIDGE RUNNER CHRONICLES: The “Butterfly” in Outer Space
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Butterflies here on Earth are beautiful creatures, but did you know that we also have a “butterfly” in outer space that is strangely beautiful too? I am referring to the “Butterfly Nebula” that is getting a lot of play on the internet these days. Just Google “Butterfly Nebula” and take a peak. This “butterfly” is just 3,400 light years away.
What we have here is a planetary nebula known by astronomers as “NGC 6302”; it is in the Scorpius Constellation of our own galaxy. As you can see, it has the unique shape and appearance of a butterfly. There are other planetary nebulae in our galaxy but what is making this one unique and the subject of recent intense study is that fact that through the combined use of a ground based telescope (ALMA located in Chile) and the James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have within the past few months been able to penetrate the “body” of this so-called butterfly and see underneath it. In other words, the body of this butterfly was actually a cloud of debris that was obscuring the core of this planetary nebula. And at the core of this planetary nebula is a dwarf white star, now about the size of Earth, that is extremely hot (450,000 Fahrenheit) and extremely bright—perhaps as 1,000 times as bright as our Sun.
This dwarf white star is in the process of dying. At one time, this star is believed to have been larger than our Sun, but not now. As it dies, it is ejecting material and gases from its core in powerful jets. These ejected materials appear to include crystalline silicate dust and organic molecules that include ionized hydrogen and oxygen, which are believed to be two building blocks for the creation of new planets. Solar winds created by this dwarf white star are in essence blowing the ejected debris in two directions away from the star so as to create the illusion of two lobes of a bipolar nebula; hence, we have the wings of this “butterfly”. The light from this extremely bright dying star is what illuminates this celestial structure in all its glory. But don’t worry if you can’t witness this sometime this week. According to astronomers, this dying star will be ejecting these materials for the next 20,000 years. (How’s that for taking a long time to kick the bucket!)
There are plenty of reasons to study this phenomena as it unfolds. It is telling us a lot about the formation of new planets but more importantly, it gives us an opportunity to study a star as it is dying. And like it or not, our own Sun will eventually begin dying so it probably won’t hurt to take notes, right? (Actually, we are told that our Sun will be living for another five billion years, so you can go ahead and exhale.)
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■ Bill Hoagland has practiced law in Alton for more than 50 years, but he has spent more than 70 years hunting, fishing and generally being in the great outdoors. His wife, Annie, shares his love of the outdoor life. Much of their spare time is spent on their farm in Calhoun County. Bill can be reached at [email protected].
