The James Webb Telescope has an uncommon mud sample round two stars that may observe the passage of time just like ring patterns on the within of tree trunks. The picture, detailed by the European Space Agency and NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, reveals a sample of 17 concentric rings made up of mud particles surrounding two stars referred to as Wolf-Rayet 140.

According , Wolf-Rayet stars are regarded as uncommon in our galaxy, and solely 600 have been found up to now. And Wolf-Rayet 140 is the one such system that’s been discovered to have this sort of ring sample, because of the peculiar form of its orbit, which is “elongated” quite than round. The rings some from a response that happens when the 2 stars come shut collectively, as soon as each eight years, forming a form of “fingerprint” across the stars.

“Each ring was created when the two stars came close together and their stellar winds (streams of gas they blow into space) met, compressing the gas and forming dust,” the European Space Agency explains. “The stars’ orbits bring them together about once every eight years; like the rings of a tree’s trunk, the dust loops mark the passage of time.”

The picture additionally demonstrates the extent of element potential with James Webb’s devices. Prior to this seize, scientists utilizing ground-based telescopes may solely see two mud rings round Wolf-Rayet 140.

You can learn extra concerning the discovery .