tech
December 18, 2025
Day 18 of the 2025 Space Telescope Advent Calendar: A Spider Among the Stars
Day 18 of the 2025 Space Telescope Advent Calendar: A Spider Among the Stars. About 5,000 light-years away, the Red Spider Nebula is the result of the spectacular final act of a dying star. The James Webb Space Telescope recently imaged this planetary nebula, showing the glowing outer layers of the star—which have been cast off for thousands of years, blasted into space in all directions—against a backdrop of countless other stars in our own galaxy.
TL;DR
- The Red Spider Nebula is located about 5,000 light-years away.
- It is the result of a dying star's final moments.
- The James Webb Space Telescope imaged the nebula, showing its glowing outer layers.
- These layers were cast off by the star over thousands of years.
- The image displays the nebula against a background of stars in our galaxy.
- This image is part of the 2025 Space Telescope Advent Calendar.
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