Cardiff University team helps find mysterious iron bar in space

Cardiff University astronomers, in collaboration with University College London, have discovered a large bar-shaped cloud of iron atoms inside the Ring Nebula, a colorful cloud formed by a dying sun-like star. The iron bar, which is roughly 500 times wider than Pluto's orbit and located 2,283 light-years away, was detected using the new telescope instrument called the WHT Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer (Weave). Its origin remains unclear, but it could offer insights into the future of Earth as the sun expels its outer layers, potentially engulfing Earth in a few billion years. The team plans further observations to understand the iron bar's origin and implications.