Explanation: Can stars, like caterpillars, transform themselves into butterflies? No, but in the case of the Butterfly Nebula -- it sure looks like it. Though its wingspan covers over 3 light-years and its estimated surface temperature exceeds 200,000 degrees, C, the dying 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 reprocessed here to show off the remarkable details of the complex planetary nebula, highlighting in particular light emitted by iron, shown in red. NGC 6302 lies about 4,000 light-years away in the arachnologically correct constellation of the Scorpion (Scorpius). Planetary nebulas evolve from outer atmospheres of stars like our Sun, but usually fade in about 20,000 years.

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Authors & editors: Robert Nemiroff (MTU) & Jerry Bonnell (USRA)
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NASA Official: Jay Norris. Specific rights apply.
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& Michigan Tech. U.

Publikacii s klyuchevymi slovami: butterfly nebula - tumannost' Babochka Publikacii so slovami: butterfly nebula - tumannost' Babochka
Sm. takzhe: M2-9: kryl'ya tumannosti Babochka Tumannost' Babochka ot teleskopa im.Habbla Tumannost' γ Lebedya IC 1318: gaz i pyl' v tumannosti Babochka NGC 6302: tumannost' Babochka V centre Lebedya Tumannost' Babochka ot Habbla Vse publikacii na tu zhe temu >>