Cat's Eye Nebula
May 4

Cat's Eye Nebula

Observed in 2002

Produced by a dying star, the Cat's Eye Nebula is one of the most complex planetary nebulas known. This image reveals a pattern of concentric rings around the central star. Each "ring" is actually the edge of a spherical bubble of material ejected by the star.

Image credit: NASA, ESA, Hubble Space Telescope