Bold claim: space keeps revealing dramatic stories about dying stars, and Day 6 of the 2025 Space Telescope Advent Calendar brings one that’s hard to ignore. This entry, dated December 6, 2025, at 11:54 AM ET, spotlights a stunning final act by a dying star nestled at the heart of planetary nebula NGC 1514, about 1,500 light-years from Earth. One member of a binary star pair has been ejecting vast amounts of gas and dust for over 4,000 years, plowing into the surrounding space and lighting it from within as it travels outward.
For the full experience, visit the advent calendar page linked here, which unveils a new image each day through December 25: https://www.theatlantic.com/photography/2025/12/2025-space-telescope-advent-calendar/685096/
About the author: Alan Taylor is a senior editor at The Atlantic and brings this captivating celestial narrative to life for readers.
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