Zoom into Planetary Nebula NGC 5189

Glide into the region of sky containing planetary nebula NGC 5189. Located 1800 light-years away in the southern constellation Musca, NGC 5189 has a knotty and filamentary structure surrounding bluish lobes.

Planetary nebulae represent the final brief stage in the life of a medium-sized star like our Sun. While consuming the last of the fuel in its core, the dying star expels a large portion of its outer envelope. This material is then illuminated by the ultraviolet radiation from the stellar remnant, producing glowing clouds of gas that can show complex structure.