The Butterfly Nebula from Hubble

Explanation: Stars can make beautiful patterns as they age -- sometimes similar to flowers or insects. NGC 6302, the Butterfly Nebula, is a notable example. Though its gaseous wingspan covers over 3 light-year s and its estimated surface temperature exceeds 200,000 degrees C , the aging central star of NGC 6302, the featured planetary nebula , has become exceptionally hot, shining brightly in visible and ultraviolet light but hidden from direct view by a dense torus of dust. This sharp close-up was recorded by the Hubble Space Telescope and is processed here to show off remarkable details of the complex planetary nebula , highlighting in particular light emitted by oxygen (shown as blue), hydrogen (green), and nitrogen (red). NGC 6302 lies about 3,500 light-years away in the arachnologically correct constellation of the Scorpion ( Scorpius ). Planetary nebula s evolve from outer atmospheres of stars like our Sun , but usually fade in about 20,000 years.