Cat’s Eye Nebula

This public domain photo is from GRIN, the Great Images In NASA Collection within the NASA image archive.

This colorful image captures the Cat’s Eye Nebula, which is a complex nebula that exhibits a wide variety of gaseous clouds, layers, and jets. NASA’s website notes that this may be a “double-star system.” They point out that adding a second star to the equation would help to explain some of the complexities of this formation.

There is no doubt that many applications exist for an image with this level of vibrancy and complexity. You could use it as a desktop wallpaper… have a couple drinks and stare at your screen. No shame in that.

This image was taken by the Hubble Space Telescope – NASA. NASA is an Agency of the United States Government, therefore this image is in the public domain.

1.8 Megabyte JPG. Hosted by nasa.gov.