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New 3D view of Cat's Eye Nebula suggests double star hides at its heart
A young "astronomy enthusiast" recently took the science of the Cat's Eye to the next level, when he co-created the first computer-generated 3D model of the nebula.
Science & Tech
A brand new 3D model showcases the complex beauty behind the Cat's Eye Nebula.
One of the most complex examples of stellar death known to astronomers is not too far away. Thanks to its nearness, the Hubble Space Telescope has been able to see incredible details of the nebula called the Cat's Eye Nebula. An astronomy enthusiast recently took the science of the Cat's Eye to the next level by co-creating the first computer-generated 3D model of the nebula, which suggests a binary star lies at its heart.
Nebulas are the alpha and omega of star life. These giant clouds of gas can nourish young stars, but they also showcase violent details about how an earlier star perished. The Cat's Eye Nebula reveals a colorful, shell-like structure that formed when the dying star — roughly the mass of the sun — ejected its outer layer of gas.