"Webb Telescope's Glimpse into a Nearby Supernova Remnant"

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has provided new insights into the nearby supernova remnant SN 1987a, located 168,000 light-years away in the Large Magellanic Cloud. The JWST image reveals a bright equatorial ring of ionized gas, as well as a turbulent keyhole structure in the center where clumps of gas expand into space. However, the dense gas and dust in the inner keyhole region prevent observation of the remnant star, which is expected to have formed a neutron star. Further study is needed to understand the formation and interaction of neutron stars with surrounding material.