A new image showcases a dazzling celestial object — a star, paired with another, in the throes of dying that resembles a crystal ball.Scientists captured the image of NGC 1514, nicknamed the Crystal Ball Nebula, with the Gemini Multi-Object Spectrograph. The instrument is mounted on the Gemini North telescope, which is located on Maunakea, a dormant volcano in Hawaii.Researchers set aside a few hours during the evenings to observe the skies and identify something awe-inspiring, said astronomer Travis Rector.AdvertisementAdvertisement“It’s a way to share with people just how amazing our universe is, so the nebula was not a science target, it was one that was chosen just because it looks really cool,” said Rector, a member of the NOIRLab team that took the image. NOIRLab is short for the National Science Foundation’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory.The image reveals the striking details of the planetary nebula, which lies about 1,500 light-years from Earth in the Taurus constellation. A light-year is the distance light travels in one year, which is 5.88 trillion miles (9.46 trillion kilometers) — meaning the light depicted in the image was emitted about 1,500 years ago.Planetary nebulae derive their name from the fact that they resemble planets when observed through a small telescope. These celestial objects form as dying stars eject their outer layers. The shedding creates a region of dust and gas around the star’s core — a white dwarf.“They have their own distinct shapes. They’re really spectacularly beautiful objects and they often have these very complex yet symmetric structures,” said Rector, professor of physics and astronomy at the University of Alaska Anchorage.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe stunning image allows scientists to observe how a two-s …
