The Hubble Space Telescope has captured new images of Sunlike stars in the final stages of their lives as they blow off layers of gas and create new nebulae. The combined infrared and visible light images have allowed astronomers to see the transition between various layers of the nebula, from the white-hot gas surrounding the star through cooler layers of molecular hydrogen to outer, cooler regions of molecular gas and dust.
Astronomers can clear see the effects of winds and radiation on the nebula.
Also released Thursday were images of several new planetary nebulae emerging from gas and dust which surrounded the star that created the nebula. These nebulae form as layers of gas are thrown off a Sunlike star as it enters a stage of expansion and contraction at the end of its life. A combined visible and infrared image of NGC 7027 shows its detailed structure.