The nebula, 3,400 light-years away in the Perseus constellation, is an expanding shell of gases kicked out by a dying red giant star. Before the aging red giant star collapsed, it released a ring of gas and dust. The companion star, once in orbit around the red giant, is nowhere to be seen in Hubble’s image. Since collapsing, the red giant star has transformed into a dead stellar remnant known as an ultra-dense white dwarf star. “The space telescope is the most scientifically productive space astrophysics mission in NASA history,” according to a NASA release.

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Persons: Charles Messier, Pierre Méchain, Hubble, James Webb Organizations: CNN, Hubble, NASA