Dumbbell Nebula

The Dumbbell Nebula (also known as M27) is a gaseous emission nebula created as a star runs out of nuclear fuel in its core. The nebula forms as the star's outer layers are expelled into space, with a visible glow generated by atoms excited by the dying star's intense but invisible ultraviolet light. The beautifully symmetric interstellar gas cloud is over 2.5 light-years across and is located in the Orion Arm of the Milky Way Galaxy.