One Ring to Rule them All 👁️⁣ ⁣ There's one Ring Nebula that's precious to astronomers, from backyard stargazers to the NASAHubble mission team. Now NASAWebb has turned its eye to this popular target, revealing the complexity of its structure in unprecedented detail — as well the possibility that the dying star at its center has a companion.⁣ ⁣ Here are two views of the Ring Nebula. The first image is taken by Webb’s Mid-Infrared Instrument (MIRI), and the second one is taken by its Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam). MIRI provided the sharpest and clearest view of the faint halo outside the bright ring. Physical features within suggest there may be a companion star helping to sculpt the layers thrown off by the dying star.⁣ ⁣ The Ring Nebula is a “planetary nebula,” originally named for having a planet-like appearance through small telescopes. In actuality, planetary nebulae are the remains of a star’s death throes. And while the Ring Nebula resembles a ring when seen face-on, it's more o...