Twin jet nebula, a butterfly in the night sky

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Red giant stars nearing their final moments expel brilliant shells of ionized gas that burst forth with incredible velocities into the interstellar medium. These objects are recognized as planetary nebulae (PNe), a phenomenon that astronomers study closely to gain insights into stellar evolution. The stunning image depicts one of the most celebrated PNe, the Twin Jet Nebula, also known as Minkowski's Butterfly or simply the Butterfly Nebula, which was captured in breathtaking detail with the Hubble Space Telescope. Located approximately 2,100 light-years from Earth in the constellation Ophiuchus, this celestial wonder was first discovered by Rudolph Minkowski in 1947. Like many other PNe, the Twin Jet Nebula exhibits a morphology reminiscent of butterfly wings, thanks to two lobes of gas expanding outward from the central star. As ultraviolet radiation from the star energizes the ejected material, it takes on a vibrant appearance as a brightly colored PN. Our Sun is expected to give birth to its own PN at the end of its life cycle. Twin Jet Nebula image by ESA/Hubble/NASA/J. Schmidt