An image of the planetary nebula NGC 1514—also known as the Crystal Ball Nebula—was released on May 21, 2026, by the U.S. National Science Foundation's NOIRLab, captured by the Gemini North Telescope on Mauna Kea, Hawaii.
Located approximately 1,500 light-years from Earth (with a single light-year equaling roughly 6 trillion miles), the observation itself was conducted in 2025, with the final color processing completed in May 2026.
A Stellar End
NGC 1514 is a binary star system. According to scientists, one of the two orbiting stars—which was once larger than the Sun—has reached the end of its life cycle. As part of this process, the star shed its outer layers, creating a milky white, spherical cloud of gas and dust.
The remaining exposed core of the star now heats the surrounding expelled gas to temperatures of tens of thousands of degrees. This intense heating causes the gas to emit a glow, creating the visible nebula seen in the new image.