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NASA APOD featured Apep, an unusual system of swirls and shells observed in infrared detail by the James Webb Space Telescope.
The shells are produced by massive stars and their winds, making the system a laboratory for studying late-stage stellar evolution and dust formation.
Webb's infrared sensitivity is central because dust structures that are faint or obscured in visible light can stand out at longer wavelengths.
Why It Matters
Dust-producing massive-star systems help astronomers understand how heavy elements and dust enter galaxies.
What to Watch
Watch follow-up modelling of shell geometry, stellar winds and binary motion.
Primary Sources
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