This image shows glowing ejecta flung into space by a Wolf–Rayet star called WR 8. Wolf–Rayet stars are extremely hot and luminous massive stars that have cast away their outer layers. Because of their extreme winds, mass loss, and radiation, Wolf–Rayet stars are often surrounded by intricate nebulae. The nebula surrounding WR 8 was first reported in 2010, and now, Robert Fesen (Dartmouth College) and collaborators have revealed it in great detail. This image shows observations made in three broad visible-light bands as well as narrow bands that highlight emission from hydrogen and oxygen. The nebula’s clumpy ejecta and radial streaks stand out in blue. (The bright pinkish-orange streak that cuts across the image from the upper-left corner to the lower-right corner comes from an interstellar cloud in the background or foreground.) WR 8 is an interesting target because the star’s spectrum has features from two different Wolf–Rayet subclasses, suggesting that the star may be in the midst of a rapid (on the order of 10,000 years) transition from one class to another. A deeper investigation into this nebula may improve our understanding of this transition phase. To learn more about these new images of WR 8, be sure to check out the full article linked below.
Citation
“Deep Optical Images of the Ejecta Nebula around the Wolf–Rayet Star WR 8 (HD 62910),” Robert A. Fesen et al 2025 AJ 169 231. doi:10.3847/1538-3881/adbd41