When the James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) revealed unprecedented details of the Butterfly Nebula's intricate heart, Western University researchers made discoveries that transform our understanding of cosmic chemistry - finding molecules where they shouldn't exist and uncovering clues about how complex carbon structures form in space.
The stunning images and data released by the European Space Agency (ESA) show the mesmerizing structures within the Butterfly Nebula (NGC 6302), located 3,400 light-years away. But for Western's team, those beautiful, complex shapes represent something more: chemical laboratories where unexpected molecular processes are reshaping our knowledge of stellar environments.
