Portrait of a Nebula (M1-63) Wall Art tapestry 900 kilometers) and 59

900 kilometers) and 59

In this WISE image

Ripples in the shell’s surface may be caused either by subtle variations in the density of the ambient interstellar gas

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech STScI

Portrait of a Nebula (M1-63) Wall Art tapestry 900 kilometers) and 59This image from the NASA ESA Hubble Space Telescope features an impressive portrait of M1 63, an example of a bipolar planetary nebula located in the constellation of Scutum (the Shield). A nebula like this one is formed when the star at its center sheds huge quantities of material from its outer layers, leaving behind a spectacular cloud of gas and dust. It is believed that a binary system of stars at the center of the bipolar nebula is capable of