This Epic Nebula Looks Like a Giant Brain Floating in Space
Airfind news item
By Michelle Starr
Published on March 13, 2026.
JWST has captured a stunning image of a planetary nebula that resembles a giant brain in a transparent skull suspended in space. The object, named PMR 1, is about 5,000 light-years away in the constellation of Vela and measures around 3.2 light years across. The image was captured using JWST's unique infrared vision to capture intricate folds and filaments, creating the illusion of giant cerebral hemispheres. Astronomers believe the object is being expelled from a star nearing its end of its life, which is rapidly losing mass. However, its spectrum matches that of a Wolf-Rayet star, which may indicate a rare class of planetary nebulas that resemble massive Wolf-R-scenes.
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