NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured the most detailed image of planetary nebula NGC 1514, showcasing its unique mid-infrared features. The telescope’s advanced camera has revealed the nebula’s dusty rings in unprecedented clarity, providing new insights into this dying star’s energetic display.
Located 1,500 light-years from Earth, NGC 1514 is a binary system consisting of two central stars that have been interacting for over 4,000 years. The star on the left, which was once several times more massive than our Sun, has shed its outer layers, revealing a hot, compact core as a white dwarf star.
The nebula’s shape resembles an hourglass with pinched waist, featuring two distinct rings that are unevenly illuminated. The rings are composed of small dust grains heated by ultraviolet light from the white dwarf star, making them detectable in mid-infrared light. Oxygen is also present in the clumpy pink center, particularly at the edges of bubbles or holes.
Notably, NGC 1514 lacks complex molecules like carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are common in other planetary nebulae. This simplicity means that the light from both stars reaches farther, resulting in fainter rings.
The James Webb Space Telescope’s observations have significantly improved our understanding of this rare planetary nebula, offering a clearer view of its features than ever before.
Source: https://webbtelescope.org/contents/news-releases/2025/news-2025-118