Since the 1980s, the planetary system around the star Beta Pictoris has continued to fascinate scientists. Even after decades of study, it still holds surprises.

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has unlocked an exciting new chapter of Beta Pic’s story, which includes new details about the composition of its debris disks and a never-before-seen dust trail resembling a cat’s tail. This feature is hypothesized by a team of astronomers to be a relatively recent addition to the planetary system — a tail not so old as time.