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Gemini North Images Crystal Ball Nebula, Finds 9-Year Binary

5/24/2026

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Summary

NOIRLab Captures Nebula

NOIRLab announced that the Gemini North telescope captured new images of the Crystal Ball Nebula.
The 8.1-meter telescope on Maunakea used its Multi-Object Spectrograph to record the data.
A binary star at the nebula’s core orbits every nine years, the longest known period for such a system.
NOIRLab released a color image and video of the nebula on Thursday, 2026-05-23, showing gas heated to roughly 15,000 K.

Summary

JWST Reveals Rings

JWST infrared imaging uncovered a pair of concentric dust rings around NGC 1514 that are invisible in optical observations.
Researchers infer the rings formed during an early mass-loss episode of the central binary and were later sculpted by asymmetric fast winds, producing the nebula’s lumpy, multi-lobed structure.
The images were released by a collaboration of NASA, ESA, CSA, STScI and several university and observatory partners.

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NOIRLab Captures Nebula

NOIRLab announced that the Gemini North telescope captured new images of the Crystal Ball Nebula.
The 8.1-meter telescope on Maunakea used its Multi-Object Spectrograph to record the data.
A binary star at the nebula’s core orbits every nine years, the longest known period for such a system.
NOIRLab released a color image and video of the nebula on Thursday, 2026-05-23, showing gas heated to roughly 15,000 K.

1 / 2