Skip Navigation
menu close modal
Resources

Star-forming Nebula (Version Two, Purple)

A large, amorphous blob in a circular shape has layers of transparent, hazy color overlapping. The different layers start with a slight blue and dark purple around the outer rim and move inward to brighter purples. While white dots representing stars speckle the whole image, in the upper left part of this shape is a bright white circular cloud with more pronounced and larger stars grouped together.
Credit: NASA
Published: December 19, 2022

An illustration of a purple star-forming nebula. The colors depicted in this illustration are for artistic purposes only.

ENLARGE

Explore the Universe

Related

An illustration of ESA's Planck spacecraft.
More
This illustration shows ESA's Planck spacecraft in shades of blue. The craft has a circular base topped by a short instrument with an open top and instrument pieces visible inside.
Planck
 An illustration of ESA's Euclid spacecraft.
More
An illustration in multiple shades of blue depicting Euclid. The spacecraft has a cylindrical body with an open top and a flat, square base as well as a flat panel along its back.
Euclid
An illustration of NASA's SPHEREx spacecraft.
More
This illustration of NASA's SPHEREx mission shows the spacecraft in shades of blue. The main body of the spacecraft is cone shaped with smaller cone shapes within it, with a solar array "wing" stemming from the side of the craft.
SPHEREx (Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer)
An illustration of NASA's RXTE satellite.
More
This illustration shows NASA's RXTE satellite in shades of blue. The satellite's main body is shaped like a rectangular box with two solar array "wings," one on either side.
RXTE (Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer)
An illustration of an orange and yellow elliptical galaxy.
More
A diffuse oval is outlined by a light orange-ish yellow but gets progressively lighter in rings towards the center, a bright white spot surrounded by a small ring of white haze. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Elliptical Galaxy (Orange/Yellow)
An illustration of the ASCA spacecraft, developed by the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science in Japan.
More
A graphic of ASCA is shown in light and dark shades of blue. The body of the spacecraft is bottle shaped, and an array of solar panels crosses on top of the widest part.
ASCA (Advanced Satellite for Cosmology and Astrophysics)
An illustration showing a purple, side view of a barred spiral galaxy.
More
An illustration has an elongated oval in light purple stretching across the center, outlined in light blue. Behind the strip is a diffuse, yellowish cloud of color that fades into a medium, bright purple. All over the image are white speckles, representing stars.
Barred Spiral Galaxy (Side View, Purple)
An illustration showing a face-on view of a black hole.
More
A graphic shows a dark but diffuse purple ring that is centered in the image. The dark purple fades into a bright purple, then a light blue that fades lighter towards the center where there is a bold, black circle.
Black Hole
An illustration of NASA's NuSTAR space telescope.
More
This illustration shows NASA's NuSTAR space telescope in shades of blue. Attached to the base of the instrument is a long, tower-like structure that extends out towards the front of the spacecraft that has a singular, wing-shaped solar array attached.
NuSTAR (Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array)
An illustration of NASA's Fermi spacecraft.
More
Fermi is illustrated in multiple shades of blue. With two "wings" coming out of its sides, each with three panels of solar arrays, the main body of the spacecraft is box-shaped. It has a main body with one open side with small components visible within and a smaller, darker box on top.
Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope
An illustration of JAXA's Suzaku spacecraft.
More
This illustration shows the Suzaku spacecraft in shades of blue. The long body of the spacecraft is narrower at the top than at the bottom, which has a hollow area underneath. Solar panels extend to either side of the widest part of the body. Round circles representing the telescopes extend from the top of the narrowest part of the body.
Suzaku
An illustration of NASA's GALEX spacecraft.
More
GALEX is illustrated in multiple shades of blue. The spacecraft body is made up of a hexagonal object topped by a cylindrical object. Solar panels extend to either side.
GALEX (Galaxy Evolution Explorer)
An illustration of ESA's LISA Pathfinder spacecraft.
More
This illustration shows ESA's LISA Pathfinder spacecraft in shades of blue. The craft has an octagonal shape with a relatively flat "face" with smaller components found around the sides of the spacecraft.
LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) Pathfinder
An illustration of a purple elliptical galaxy.
More
A diffuse oval is outlined by dark purple but is primarily a medium, bright purple except for the center, a bright white spot surrounded by a small ring of white haze. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Elliptical Galaxy (Purple)
An illustration of NASA's WISE spacecraft.
More
This illustration of NASA's WISE mission shows the spacecraft in shades of blue. WISE has a short, multi-sided cylindrical main body that connects to a thinner and longer open cylindrical piece. The craft's main body is attached to a large, flat panel on top.
WISE/NEOWISE (Near-Earth Object Wide-field Infrared survey Explorer)
An illustration of NASA's Chandra spacecraft.
More
A graphic of Chandra is shown in light and dark blue with a long, cylindrical main body. At the front of this cylinder is a darker circle. Jutting off of the front of the main body are two "wings" of solar arrays.
Chandra X-ray Observatory
A horizontal oval illustration of a supernova.
More
A large horizontal oval shape with stripes of lighter and darker green moves inward to a lighter green oval with waved edges. In the center is a dark green oval that appears like a starburst because of the waved outlines that lay on top. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Supernova (Light Green)
An illustration showing the side of a purple spiral galaxy.
More
A horizontal oval is outlined by a diffuse, bright purple surrounding a darker purple outline which fades through lighter and brighter purple colors as it moves inward. The center of the shape is a hazy yellow circle. Cutting across the center of the image is a flattened disc outlined in light blue with a blueish-gray center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Spiral Galaxy (Side View, Purple)
An illustration showing the side of an irregular galaxy.
More
A very long, diffuse, vaguely oval-shaped blob has a hazy dark purple color around its edge and it gets progressively lighter moving inward toward a cloudy white center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Irregular Galaxy (Side View)
An illustration of a blazar, or an active galactic nucleus that emits a powerful radiation jet. 
More
A graphic shows a diffused, dark purple ring that fades inward to a bright purple, a lighter purple, and eventually to a light blue gradient. At the center of the circular object is a small black circle from which a transparent beam is emitted, starting as a transparent blue and moving into green, yellow, orange and red.
Blazar
An illustration showing an irregular galaxy.
More
A rounded, boomerang-shaped diffuse purple blob that's darker around the rim with a light, whitish center. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Irregular Galaxy (Version Two)
An illustration of NASA's TESS spacecraft.
More
This illustration of NASA's TESS shows the spacecraft in shades of blue. The multi-sided, cylindrical shaped main body of the satellite has two solar array "wings," each extending out from the sides of the satellite which is attached to an open, cone shaped bottom piece. Nestled inside the cone are four squares which show the relative positions of TESS’s cameras.
TESS (Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite)
An illustration of an orange elliptical galaxy.
More
A diffuse oval is outlined by dark orange but gets progressively lighter in rings towards the center, a bright white spot surrounded by a small ring of white haze. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Elliptical Galaxy (Orange)
An illustration of a short gamma-ray burst caused by merging neutron stars.
More
At the center of this graphic of a short gamma-ray burst is a black dot representing a black hole. A cloud of debris, represented as a yellow-ish filled-in figure eight is centered on the black hole and tilted 45 degrees to the right. A pair of white-ish, cone-shaped jets are aligned with the figure eight and extend above and below the black holes. Additional debris is represented as a blue oval and a filled-in eternity symbol, both centered on the black hole and tilted 45 degrees to the left.
Short Gamma-Ray Burst From Merging Neutron Stars
An illustration of a planetary nebula.
More
In the background is a hazy blue circle, with dark, transparent blue around the edge and lighter/brighter blues leading inward. In front of the blue circle is a blueish-gray object, shaped like a minimal, twisty lemon. Inside of this shape is a central, light yellow, cloudy circle with a bright white spot in the middle. All within the lemon-shaped object, the white spot is surrounded by an oblong oval shape which is overlapped by two large circular shapes and two small circular shapes. White dots representing stars speckle the image.
Planetary Nebula (Version One, Blue)

Explore the Universe

Related News

A snapshot of the Tarantula Nebula is featured in this image from Hubble.
More
Hubble's New View of the Tarantula Nebula
Hubble's New View of the Tarantula Nebula
Scientists discovered the first gamma-ray eclipses from a special type of binary star system using data from NASA’s Fermi.
More
NASA's Fermi Detects First Gamma-Ray Eclipses From ‘Spider' Star Systems
NASA's Fermi Detects First Gamma-Ray Eclipses From ‘Spider' Star Systems
NGC 346, one of the most dynamic star-forming regions in nearby galaxies, is full of mystery. Less so, now, with new findings from NASA’s Webb.
More
NASA's Webb Uncovers Star Formation in Cluster's Dusty Ribbons
NASA's Webb Uncovers Star Formation in Cluster's Dusty Ribbons
The largest and brightest region of star formation in the Local Group of galaxies, imaged here by Chandra and Webb, is called 30 Doradus.
More
The Enduring Stellar Lifecycle in 30 Doradus
The Enduring Stellar Lifecycle in 30 Doradus
There’s more to constellations than meets the eye? They tell us stories about the universe from our perspective on Earth.
More
Discovering the Universe Through the Constellation Orion
Discovering the Universe Through the Constellation Orion
A portion of the open cluster NGC 6530 appears as a roiling wall of smoke studded with stars in this Hubble image.
More
Hubble Views a Star-Studded Cosmic Cloud
Hubble Views a Star-Studded Cosmic Cloud
Scientists studying the Carina Nebula discovered jets and outflows from young stars previously hidden by dust.
More
NASA's Webb Unveils Young Stars in Early Stages of Formation
NASA's Webb Unveils Young Stars in Early Stages of Formation
This sparkling new image depicts a small section of the Carina Nebula, one of the NASA Hubble Space Telescope’s most-imaged objects.
More
Hubble's Sparkling New View of the Carina Nebula
Hubble's Sparkling New View of the Carina Nebula
NASA's James Webb Space Telescope captured new views of the Southern Ring Nebula.
More
NASA's Webb Indicates Several Stars ‘Stirred Up' Southern Ring Nebula
NASA's Webb Indicates Several Stars ‘Stirred Up' Southern Ring Nebula
This image captured by the Hubble Space Telescope shows the open star cluster NGC 2002 in all its sparkling glory.
More
Hubble Observes an Outstanding Open Cluster
Hubble Observes an Outstanding Open Cluster
This collection of stars, an open star cluster called NGC 1858, was captured by the Hubble Space Telescope.
More
Hubble Spies Emission Nebula-Star Cluster Duo
Hubble Spies Emission Nebula-Star Cluster Duo
A new studying using data from NASA's retired Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed new information about newborn stars.
More
Baby Star 'Burps' Tell Tales of Frantic Feeding, NASA Data Shows
Baby Star 'Burps' Tell Tales of Frantic Feeding, NASA Data Shows
A new image combining previously released data from three telescopes shows a region that includes the Orion Nebula.
More
NASA, ESA Reveal Tale of Death, Dust in Orion Constellation
NASA, ESA Reveal Tale of Death, Dust in Orion Constellation
A small, dense cloud of gas and dust called CB 130-3 blots out the center of this image from Hubble.
More
Hubble Views a Billowing Cosmic Cloud
Hubble Views a Billowing Cosmic Cloud
NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed features of the protostar within the dark cloud L1527.
More
NASA's Webb Catches Fiery Hourglass as New Star Forms
NASA's Webb Catches Fiery Hourglass as New Star Forms
Three different moments in a far-off supernova explosion were captured in a single snapshot by NASA’s Hubble telescope.
More
Hubble Captures 3 Faces of Evolving Supernova in Early Universe
Hubble Captures 3 Faces of Evolving Supernova in Early Universe
Planets can force their host stars to act younger than their age, according to data from NASA's Chandra.
More
NASA's Chandra: Planets Can Be Anti-Aging Formula for Stars
NASA's Chandra: Planets Can Be Anti-Aging Formula for Stars
NASA’s IXPE has delivered its first imaging data since completing its month-long commissioning phase.
More
NASA's IXPE Sends First Science Image
NASA's IXPE Sends First Science Image
NASA’s newest X-ray eyes are open and ready for discovery.
More
NASA's New IXPE Mission Begins Science Operations
NASA's New IXPE Mission Begins Science Operations
NASA’s IXPE mission launched Thursday, December 9, 2021, NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
More
NASA Launches New Mission to Explore Universe's Most Dramatic Objects
NASA Launches New Mission to Explore Universe's Most Dramatic Objects
We can agree that nebulae are some of the most majestic-looking objects in the universe. But what are they exactly?
More
Decoding Nebulae
Decoding Nebulae
NASA SOFIA data from nebula RCW 120 provided clues about how stars and galaxies formed in the early universe.
More
Surprisingly Young Nebula Hints at Formation of Stars in the Early Universe
Surprisingly Young Nebula Hints at Formation of Stars in the Early Universe
SPHEREx officially entered Phase C, which means the agency has approved preliminary design plans for the observatory.
More
A New NASA Space Telescope, SPHEREx, Is Moving Ahead
A New NASA Space Telescope, SPHEREx, Is Moving Ahead
If you’re really looking for a dramatic story, you might want to redirect your attention from Hollywood’s stars to the real thing.
More
The Lives, Times, and Deaths of Stars
The Lives, Times, and Deaths of Stars
Since its launch, NASA’s Spitzer has lifted the veil on the wonders of the cosmos using infrared light.
More
Sixteen Images for Spitzer's Sweet 16
Sixteen Images for Spitzer's Sweet 16