Learn

      • Blog
      • Academy
      • About us
      • Forum

      Legal

      • Privacy Policy
      • Cookie Policy
      • Terms & Conditions

      Pricing

      • Plans

      Tutorials

      • All tutorials
      • Our tutors
      • Webinars

      Follow us

      • Facebook
      • Instagram
      WR16 a Wolf Rayet star in Carina.
      Wallpaper author:
      Ray Astro Explorer

      25 Apr 2024

      WR16 a Wolf Rayet star in Carina.

      Out of the billions of stars in our galaxy less than 700 Wolf Rayet (WR) have currently been identified. Estimates are that there are only up to 6,000 in the entire galaxy, making them extremely rare. Their detection is made easier due to their strong emission lines, making their detection in other galaxies possible.

      These super giant stars have consumed all of their hydrogen which has been expelled as strong winds forming a structure around them. In the case of WR16 it has been expelled in all directions forming the bubble seen in the image. Fission follows producing helium and other elements. The surrounding space around the bubble is filled with clouds of hydrogen gas. A starless Ha image resembles a piece of tumbleweed on a lunar-like landscape.

      You may need to squint to make out the shape of a figure within the bubble. To me it resembles a soft toy named after a former US President.

      Dataset from which the image was processed

      WR 16

      8 credit

      Open
      Telescope Live
      CHI-1-CMOS

      WR16 a Wolf Rayet star in Carina.