NGC 6302’s wings are glowing gas expelled by a dying star. The central star is hidden by a thick dust belt, which helps shape the two opposing lobes. This 2009 Hubble image gives stellar evolution a memorable outline without requiring a visible portrait of the star itself.
Start at the narrow waist and follow the gas outward. The name “planetary nebula” describes this type of stellar remnant, not a planet. Its importance lies in showing that the material around a hidden object can tell part of its story.
Source/image: NASA, ESA and the Hubble SM4 ERO Team · CC BY 4.0. Resized; colours retained.