The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) has delivered another spectacular view of the cosmos, capturing the striking planetary nebula NGC 6537, commonly known as the Red Spider Nebula. This celestial object represents the ultimate evolutionary stage of a star similar in mass to our own Sun. Utilizing the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam), the telescope provided unprecedented visual data detailing the star's final moments, where, having ballooned into a red giant, it violently sheds its outer layers into the vastness of space.
The Red Spider Nebula (NGC 6537), Hubble view, 2001. Image credit: NASA/ESA/Hubble
The clarity of this new infrared image is astonishing. The nebula is characterized by two elongated lobes that stretch outward, forming the distinctive “legs” of the spider, each spanning approximately three light-years. These vast structures, rendered in blue in the JWST image, are composed primarily of molecular hydrogen (H2).
Captions: Image credit: ESA/Webb, NASA, CSA, J. H. Kastner (Rochester Institute of Technology)
At the heart of the nebula lies the central star. While previous optical observations, such as those from the Hubble Space Telescope, depicted it as faint and blue, the JWST’s infrared view reveals it glowing intensely red. This central engine is enveloped by a shroud of superheated dust, which scientists hypothesize may be rotating in a distinct disk structure around the star.
Astrophysicists, including experts from the European Space Agency (ESA), are continuing their detailed investigation into the Red Spider’s core, specifically searching for evidence of a potential second component—a companion star. The existence of such a binary system could readily explain the complex symmetry of the ejections and the distinctive "S"-shaped pattern observed within the gas. This pattern, which appears as a violet stream, is believed to be caused by the collision of a rapid jet stream emanating from the central star impacting material that was ejected earlier. This feature is thought to indicate the presence of ionized iron atoms.
Historically, these celestial phenomena were mistakenly named "planetary nebulae" by early astronomers who confused their often rounded appearance with actual planets. From a scientific perspective, observing the death throes of a star like this offers a crucial glimpse into the potential far-future of our own solar engine. Since the planetary nebula phase lasts only for a fleeting period—estimated at just a few tens of thousands of years—these images serve as invaluable fossil records documenting the dynamics and late-stage evolution of stars.
Because the JWST operates exclusively in the infrared spectrum, the resulting images require sophisticated processing, employing false colors to visualize data that is otherwise invisible to the human eye. Studies of objects like the Red Spider Nebula confirm that these dramatic stellar events are vital for enriching the interstellar medium with the heavy elements necessary for the subsequent formation of new stars and planetary systems. By analyzing the kinematics of the material ejected from the Red Spider Nebula, researchers can refine existing models of stellar evolution, particularly concerning the rate of mass loss during the Asymptotic Giant Branch stage.