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Incredible JWST Images of a Strange Spiral Star Apep Uncover New Secrets

2025-08-03 Science & Technology
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Anton Petrov
Anton Petrov
1.6m subscribers

Apep: JWST Reveals Confirmed Triple System Shaping Galactic Dust

Discover how new James Webb Space Telescope data solves the mystery of the bizarre pinwheel structure surrounding the massive Apep star system, fundamentally changing our view of stellar evolution and planet formation.

Short Summary

  • Apep is a unique Wolf-Rayet binary system located 8,000 light-years away, famous as a potential Gamma Burst progenitor.
  • New JWST observations conclusively prove the presence of a third, distant star gravitationally bound to the central pair.
  • These massive stars act as crucial "dust factories," generating organic molecules essential for seeding future planetary systems.

This discussion details the structure of the Apep system—a rare dual Wolf-Rayet configuration—and explains how recent infrared imaging confirms the gravitational influence of a distant companion star. Understanding these processes provides critical insights into how galaxies enrich themselves and how terrestrial planets might form.

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Description

Support this channel on Patreon to help me make this a full time job: https://www.patreon.com/whatdamath (Unreleased videos, extra footage, DMs, no ads) Alternatively, PayPal donations can be sent here: http://paypal.me/whatdamath Get a Wonderful Person Tee: https://teespring.com/stores/whatdamath More cool designs are on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3QFIrFX Hello and welcome! My name is Anton and in this video, we will talk about Apep - the weird snakey star system Links: https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.14610 https://theconversation.com/swirling-nebula-of-two-dying-stars-revealed-in-spectacular-detail-in-new-webb-telescope-image-258314 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apep_(star_system) Other videos: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msr0KG5YE3g https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Mzmq0cIH_g https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=GsetBA6um0M #apep #jwst #jamewebb 0:00 Intriguing star called Apep and why it matters 1:30 Why this star is so strange and important 5:30 Strange features of the system 6:30 New JWST observations and explanations 8:00 Modeling and implications 9:40 Conclusions Enjoy and please subscribe Bitcoin/Ethereum to spare? Donate them here to help this channel grow! bc1qnkl3nk0zt7w0xzrgur9pnkcduj7a3xxllcn7d4 or ETH: 0x60f088B10b03115405d313f964BeA93eF0Bd3DbF Thank you to all Patreon supporters of this channel Special thanks also goes to all the wonderful supporters of the channel through YouTube Memberships Credit: ESO/Callingham et al. https://www.eso.org/public/images/eso1838a/ Licenses used: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ and relevant Creative Commons licenses

Top Comments (10)

@shashankdholakia5831 2025-08-05

I'm a co-author of the new JWST paper and I created that JWST/MIRI image at 6:34. I've been a subscriber to your channel for a while. Great video and thanks for featuring this Anton!

22
@MrBilladelphia 2025-08-04

Anton, I cannot thank you enough for your dedication to uploading your science videos DAILY. From all the fibers of my being, just know I, along with so many others, genuinely appreciate you.

53 4 replies
@Blackholegamingchannel 2025-08-03

Thanks Anton!

29
@JoeyDubsJR 2025-08-04

You make the best videos on space man

11
@samburbank8708 2025-08-03

Thank you Anton!!

26
@gabrielpaavola8589 2025-08-04

I wish I could see that in 3 dimensions.

11
@TerryCheever 2025-08-03

Thanks Anton, never a dull moment and learn something interesting every video.

6
@Archeus11 2025-08-03

Anton is like a powerful star shining light on the newly discovered sciences.

40 4 replies
@Espeeeon 2025-08-04

Hey I found the article that inspired this video a few days ago. I even have a picture of it on my computer background (I changed it today actually a few hours before this video was posted) 6:37 a slightly edited vision of this picture actually! Thank you for making a wonderful video filled with cool facts <3

4
@TLGIII 2025-08-03

Good ol Apep. Glad to see they’re alive and well. 😳

2

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