The brilliant blue-white star lighting up the red nebula Sh2-46 hints at a dynamic and possibly fleeting encounter that could reshape the nebula's appearance over time.

"Planetary nebulae were once thought of as very simple ... "It then ballooned in size, becoming a red giant," according to NASA. "During this phase, the star shed its outer gaseous layers into ...

On the right, a mid-infrared image easily distinguishes the dying star at the nebula's centre (red) from its companion star (blue). All of the gas and dust in the nebula was expelled by the red star.