Scientists find dead star that predicts our sun's future: 'Broken apart and returned to the galaxy'

A blue circle surrounded by pink and yellow rings. There is a reddish structure all around this.

Astronomers have watched a dead star, in the guise of the Helix Nebula, being recycled back into the interstellar gas from which it originally came, bringing the story of that star full circle.

Stars can last for millions, or even billions, of years, but they do not last forever. When a sun-like star reaches the end, it blossoms into a beautiful planetary nebula. The Helix Nebula, located 650 light-years away in the constellation of Aquarius, the Water Bearer, is one such example of a planetary nebula.