James Webb space telescope captures rare image of dying star

Picture released of star in Sagitta constellation on the cusp of going supernova

• James Webb telescope gives a stunning look at galaxies far, far away

The James Webb space telescope has captured the rare and fleeting phase of a star on the cusp of death.

The observation was among the first made by the telescope following its launch in late 2021, but the picture was not released until this week. Webb’s infrared eyes observed all the gas and dust flung into space by a huge, hot star 15,000 light years away. A light-year is about 5.8tn miles.