Crystal Ball Nebula NGC 1514

Once thought to resemble distant planets through early telescopes, planetary nebulae like NGC 1514 are now revealed in remarkable detail by Webb’s mid-infrared view. Located about 1,500 light-years away in the constellation Taurus, this glowing shell of gas and dust surrounds a pair of central stars. One of them has reached the end of its life, shedding its outer layers into space and creating the intricate rings seen here.

When astronomer William Herschel first observed this nebula in the late 1700s, it appeared as a faint, cloudlike object. More than two centuries later, the Webb Telescope now shows its complex structure in striking clarity. Webb’s infrared sensitivity brings the dynamic interaction between the dying star’s outflow and its surroundings into full focus, offering an unprecedented look at the final, beautiful stages of stellar evolution.