Motch-Werner-Pakull 1 (MWP 1—also catalogued as PK 080-10.1) was discovered in 1993 by Christian Motch and Manfred W. Pakull of the Observatoire Astronomique Strasbourg in France, and Klaus Werner of the Universität Tübingen, Institut für Astronomie & Astrophysik in Germany.

It’s an unusually shaped bi-polar planetary nebula 4,500 light years away in the Cygnus constellation. It’s theorized that there may be a close binary companion to the progenitor star that is responsible for the nebula’s odd shape. The formation is expanding at an estimated velocity of 20 kilometers per second (45,000mph) and is exceptionally large for a planetary nebula at 15 light years across. By comparison, the famous Helix Nebula, NGC 7293, is only 2.87 light years in breadth.

Its progenitor star (the blue star visible slightly off center), a variable white dwarf catalogued as RX J2117.1+3412, is one of the hottest stars ever observed—with a surface temperature of 130,000 degrees Kelvin (234,000 degrees Farehnheit). By comparison, the surface temperature of our sun is only around 5,000K (9,000F). The star is a kind of variable star that emits strong X-ray pulses, which is what initially alerted Messrs. Motch, Werner, and Pakull to its presence. The extreme temperature of this star may account for the nebula’s size, visibility, and age. But some astrophysicists think that after its initial planetary nebula phase, the helium remaining in the white dwarf reignited causing the star to pass through the red giant phase a second time—a phenomenon that is extremely rare.

Colloquially called the Methuselah Nebula, MWP 1 is thought to be around 150,000 years old. Astrophysicists consider it to be the oldest planetary nebula visible in the night sky. Planetary nebulas usually dissipate from view at around 10,000 to 20,000 years of age.

The less-defined ALV 1 (Alves 1—also catalogued as PN G79.8-10.2) was discovered in 2009 by the Portuguese amateur astronomer Filipe Alves while shooting a deep exposure of MWP 1. It’s much smaller, younger, and more diffuse planetary nebula and likely contains large amounts of ionized nitrogen.