images

Wolf-Rayet star WR 124

by

Nasa/ESA/Novapix

Reference

a-eto01-05025

Date

2017-01-30

The star Hen 2-427 (more commonly known as WR 124) surrounded by the nebula M1-67 are located in the constellation of Sagittarius and lie 15 000 light-years away. The star Hen 2-427 shines brightly at the very centre of this image and around the hot clumps of gas are ejected into space at over 150 000 kilometres per hour. Hen 2-427 is a Wolf–Rayet star, named after the astronomers Charles Wolf and Georges Rayet. Wolf–Rayet are super-hot stars characterised by a fierce ejection of mass. The nebula M1-67 is estimated to be no more than 10 000 years old.