description WR 124 Overview
WR 124 is a hot, luminous Wolf-Rayet star in the constellation Sagitta, surrounded by the ring-shaped nebula M1-67. The nebula consists of gas and dust expelled during the star’s evolution, while the star itself has a strong stellar wind and is losing mass at a high rate. Images from the James Webb Space Telescope have made the system a useful example for studying the brief, unstable stages that can precede the death of a massive star.
help WR 124 FAQ
What is the nebula around WR 124 called?
The ring-shaped nebula is called M1-67 and consists of material expelled by the Wolf-Rayet star WR 124. It is one of the clearest examples of a nebula formed by intense stellar mass loss.
Why does WR 124 have such a violent stellar wind?
Wolf-Rayet stars are extremely hot and luminous, so radiation pressure drives powerful winds that strip away their outer layers. Hubble images show gas clumps around WR 124 moving at more than 100,000 miles per hour. [NASA Hubble](https://science.nasa.gov/asset/hubble/detail-of-the-star-wr124-and-the-surrounding-nebula-m1-67/)
What did the James Webb Space Telescope reveal about WR 124?
Webb's MIRI instrument showed that the surrounding material contains substantial dust. The observation is useful because Wolf-Rayet stars are efficient dust producers during a short, intense phase of stellar evolution. [NASA Webb](https://science.nasa.gov/asset/webb/wr-124-miri-image/)
Is WR 124 expected to become a supernova?
WR 124 is in a late stage of massive-star evolution, and NASA describes its current mass-loss phase as preceding an eventual core-collapse supernova. The exact timing and final outcome cannot be predicted precisely from present observations.
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