Giant “Iron Rod” Discovered in Space: A 6 Trillion Kilometer Mystery
- astronomers discovered a dense cloud of iron atoms stretching roughly 3.7 trillion miles (6 trillion kilometers) across the surface of the Ring Nebula (Messier 57).
- Scientists estimate the cloud's mass is comparable to Earth's molten iron core. They theorize it could be remnants of a rocky planet that vaporized as the star died.However,...
- The discovery relied on WEAVE (WHT Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer), a new instrument attached to the William Herschel Telescope on La Palma Island in the Canary Islands, Spain.
astronomers discovered a dense cloud of iron atoms stretching roughly 3.7 trillion miles (6 trillion kilometers) across the surface of the Ring Nebula (Messier 57). french astronomer Charles Messier first spotted the nebula in 1779, but researchers continue to find new details.
Scientists estimate the cloud’s mass is comparable to Earth’s molten iron core. They theorize it could be remnants of a rocky planet that vaporized as the star died.However, they emphasize this remains a hypothesis. If the Sun enters a similar phase billions of years from now, inner planets in our solar system could face a comparable fate.
The discovery relied on WEAVE (WHT Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer), a new instrument attached to the William Herschel Telescope on La Palma Island in the Canary Islands, Spain. “