Webb Identifies Supernova Progenitor Star in NGC 1637

Feb 23, 2026 - 15:00
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Webb Identifies Supernova Progenitor Star in NGC 1637
The main image at left shows a combined Webb and Hubble view of the spiral galaxy NGC 1637, with the region of interest in the top right; the remaining three panels show a detailed view of a red supergiant star before and after it exploded; the star is not visible in the Hubble image before the SN 2025pht explosion, but appears in the Webb image; the July 2025 view from Hubble shows the glowing aftermath of the explosion. Image credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / C. Kilpatrick, Northwestern / A. Suresh, Northwestern / J. DePasquale, STScI.

Using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope, astronomers have for the first time identified the progenitor of a nearby supernova -- a red supergiant star cloaked in thick, dust-rich shrouds that made it invisible to previous observatories.

The post Webb Identifies Supernova Progenitor Star in NGC 1637 appeared first on Sci.News: Breaking Science News.

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