Object Analysis

The Eight-Burst Nebula (NGC 3132), also known as the Southern Ring Nebula, is a bright and extensively studied planetary nebula in the constellation Vela. It is approximately 2,000 light-years away from Earth. Its shape is that of two interlocking rings.

The nebula was made famous by the James Webb Space Telescope, which revealed that it is a binary system. The bright star seen at the center is actually not the source of the nebula; the source is a faint, dusty white dwarf companion sitting right next to it.

This dying companion star has ejected its outer layers in at least eight separate episodes (hence the name "Eight-Burst"), creating a complex shell of gas. The bright companion star helps to shape the nebula through its orbital motion and stellar wind.