The star, situated in a galaxy orbiting our own tens of thousands of light-years away, may be on the verge of a spectacular demise.

The first-ever close-up of an extragalactic star looks different than expected and might give a view of what stars look like at the end of their lives.

It shows the star surrounded by a glowing egg-shaped cocoon of gas and dust - called a nebula - apparently ejected by the star. A faint oval ring beyond the cocoon, perhaps made of more dust ...

"We discovered an egg-shaped cocoon closely surrounding the star," says Ohnaka, the lead author of a study reporting the observations published today in Astronomy & Astrophysics. "We are excited ...

Make a few of these star-shaped lanterns in different sizes to create a magical atmosphere and an unforgettable night.