Twin beams blast from a hidden star in stunning Hubble Space Telescope image

The Egg Nebula holds a special distinction. It is the first, youngest, and closest pre-planetary nebula ever identified. (A pre-planetary nebula is a precursor stage of a planetary nebula, which is a structure of gas and dust formed from the ejected layers of a dying, Sun-like star. The term is a misnomer, as planetary nebulae are not related to planets.)

A Rare Glimpse of Stellar Evolution

Because it is in such an early phase, the Egg Nebula offers astronomers a valuable chance to study what happens as Sun-like stars approach the end of their lives. At this stage, the nebula shines by reflecting light from its central star. That light escapes through a polar opening, or "eye," in the surrounding dust. The glow comes from a dusty disk that the star expelled only a few hundred years ago.

Two bright beams stream outward from the star, lighting up fast-moving polar lobes that punch through older, slower rings of material arranged in concentric arcs. The structure and motion of these features point to possible gravitational effects from one or more unseen companion stars, which remain concealed within the dense disk of dust.

From Dying Star to Planetary Nebula

Stars similar to our Sun eventually run out of hydrogen and helium fuel and begin shedding their outer layers. As the hot core becomes exposed, it emits intense radiation that energizes the surrounding gas, producing the glowing shells seen in planetary nebulae such as the Helix, Stingray, and Butterfly nebulae. The Egg Nebula, however, has not yet reached that fully developed stage. It remains in a short-lived transitional period known as the pre-planetary stage, which lasts only a few thousand years. Observing it now allows scientists to examine the ejection process while the evidence is still fresh.

The patterns visible in Hubble's image are highly symmetrical, ruling out a chaotic explosion like a supernova. Instead, the arcs, lobes, and central dust cloud likely formed through a coordinated series of sputtering outbursts deep within the carbon-rich core of the aging star. Stars at this stage manufacture and release large amounts of dust, material that can later become part of new star systems. Our own solar system, including Earth and the other rocky planets, formed from such recycled material about 4.5 billion years ago.

Hubble's Continuing Observations

Hubble has studied the Egg Nebula multiple times over the years. An early visible light image from WFPC2 (Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2) was followed in 1997 by a near infrared view from NICMOS (Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer), offering a closer look at the nebula's glow. In 2003, the ACS (Advanced Camera for Surveys) revealed the full sweep of dusty ripples surrounding the object. Observations from WFC3 (Wide Field Camera 3) in 2012 zoomed in on the dense central cloud and powerful gas outflows. The newest image combines data from the 2012 program with additional observations, providing the clearest and most detailed portrait yet of this intricate cosmic egg.

For more than 30 years, the Hubble Space Telescope has continued to deliver discoveries that reshape our understanding of the cosmos. The mission is a partnership between NASA and ESA (European Space Agency). NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland oversees telescope and mission operations, with additional operational support from Lockheed Martin Space in Denver. The Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, manages Hubble's science operations for NASA.