NASA'S James Webb reveals a nebula that looks like a brain inside a transparent skull
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captured new images of nebula PMR 1, nicknamed the "Exposed Cranium" nebula for its resemblance to a brain inside a transparent skull. The images were released February 25, 2026, showing a dying star about 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Vela, expelling its outer layers. Webb studied the nebula using two instruments, revealing a dark central lane that may be linked to twin jets of gas erupting from the star — though researchers say it's still unclear whether the star will end its life as a supernova or a white dwarf.
Video Credit: NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI, N. Bartmann (ESA/Webb);
Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
