NASA · Space

Sh2-188: The Shrimp Nebula

The Shrimp Nebula (Sh2-188) is a large planetary nebula, spanning about half the diameter of the Moon. Its distinctive swirl is likely caused by its high speed.

The white-dwarf core of the nebula, a remnant of a Sun-like star, is moving rapidly through interstellar space. This motion creates a bow shock, visible on the upper left, resembling a boat's wake.

The nebula glows by compressing and brightening gas at its leading edge. The featured image was captured using a backyard telescope in Krakow, Poland, focusing on hydrogen, sulfur, and oxygen light, then digitally adjusted for true color approximation.

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