- NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has cast the Southern Ring Nebula in an entirely new light. By observing the nebula in mid-infrared wavelengths, Webb has unveiled the second, dusty star at the center of the nebula in far more detail. The star closely orbits its companion as it periodically ejects layers of gas and dust. Together, the swirling duo have created a fantastic landscape of asymmetrical shells. Webb’s near-infrared light image hones in on “spotlights” from the stars, where light travels through holes in the nebula’s dusty ejections.
- Methow Wildlife Area (wdf.wa.gov)
The Methow Wildlife Area is located in the Methow River watershed in the western half of Okanogan County, and spans approximately 35,300 acres of land. The area is comprised of shrubsteppe, grasslands, and dry coniferous ponderosa pine forests. Meadow-steppe habitats area also found here, and are characterized by wheatgrass, bluegrasses, and a rich component of broad-leaved forbs.
