A bright star shines at the center of a rainbow-colored "bubble" spreading outward from it. The inner oval around the star is a turquoise color, which has a yellow ring around it, which then turns to orange, and has red wisps at the outer edges.

C74 (NGC 3132) – The Southern Ring Nebula

Also known as the "Eight-Burst Nebula", C74 is a striking example of a planetary nebula, an expanding cloud of gas surrounding a dying star. At a distance of about 2,000 light-years, it is one of the nearest known planetary nebulae. The gases are expanding away from the central star at a speed of 9 miles per second.

Credits: Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA/NASA/ESA)
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Image CreditHubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA/NASA/ESA)
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