Brain-like Nebula Revealed by Webb’s Infrared View

NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has captured new infrared views of PMR 1, the Exposed Cranium nebula, revealing a brain-like structure around a dying star. Webb’s NIRCam and MIRI images show that near-infrared light reveals more stars and background galaxies while mid-infrared highlights glowing dust and a dark central lane that contributes to the nebula’s split-brain appearance. The features trace an outer hydrogen shell and a richer inner gas cloud, hinting at past outbursts or jets. The star’s ultimate fate—whether it becomes a white dwarf or a supernova—depends on its mass, and Webb’s observations help illuminate how dying stars shed their envelopes.