From Helix to Carina Nebula: Here Are Some Stunning Nebula Shots That Depict the Beauty of the Cosmos

The cosmos is filled with different nebulae. According to NASA Spaceplace, a nebula is a huge gas and dust cloud in space. There are nebulae that originate from dust and gas that were expelled by a dying star's explosion, like supernovas.

Live Science adds that these huge clouds fill the gaps that lie between stars. For a long time, they have been artistic subjects for their unique glow and beauty. Here are some of the cosmos' most stunning nebulae.

Helix Nebula

The Helix Nebula is situated within the Aquarius constellation. The Hubblesite notes that this specific nebula is planetary and has a tube shape.

It is a crowd favorite among amateur astronomers due to its strong and vibrant colors. Moreover, its unique resemblance to an eye has earned it the nickname "God's Eye."

Horsehead Nebula

Seated in the Orion constellation, the Horsehead Nebula is one of the most photographed and recognized nebulae in the sky.

In the specific photo, the nebula looks translucent due to how the shot was snapped using infrared. In actual visual wavelengths, the nebula is actually red and dark.

Twin Jet Nebula

According to the ESA Hubble, the Twin Jet Nebula serves as a striking illustration of a "bipolar planetary nebula," which results when the central object is a binary system and not just one star. Its binary system appears to grant it iridescent-looking wings.

This nebula has also been dubbed Minkowski's Butterfly, which comes after Hermann Minkowski, who was the one behind the nebula's discovery.

Cat's Eye Nebula

The Cat's Eye Nebula consists of 11 gas rings. Because of this, it is known to have one of the most complex nebula structures. This nebula is also one of the earliest planetary nebulas that were ever found.

Eagle Nebula

The Eagle Nebula has distinct fingerlike extensions that are commonly referred to as the Pillars of Creation. Also known as Messier 16 or M16, the Eagle Nebula was first found in 1745. It is a remarkably breath-taking sight that one can glimpse using a huge telescope.

Spider Nebula

The Spider Nebula is situated inside the Milky Way Galaxy and the Auriga constellation. It is known to be an active star formation hub that has green tendrils, NASA notes.

Carina Nebula

The Carina Nebula is among the biggest star formation regions that NASA can observe. It houses at least 12 stars that have a mass that is equivalent to 50 to 100 suns. Among these stars is Eta Carinae, which is one of the known brightest stars in the universe.

The Hubblesite notes that the Carina Nebula is situated around 7,500 light years away in the Carina the Keel southern constellation.

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