Bubble Nebula Medium:Canvas Williams (University of Washington)

Williams (University of Washington)

the scenery was like being pulled out of a fairy tale

Studying these relatively nearby galaxies helps scientists better understand structures seen in a much more distant universe

500 light-years from Earth

The XTM X-Tiger was unveiled in a ceremony at Kleine Brogel Air Base in Belgium in September 2018

Bubble Nebula Medium:Canvas Williams (University of Washington)The Bubble Nebula was discovered in 1787 by William Herschel, a prominent British astronomer. It is being formed by an extremely bright, massive, and short lived star that has lost most of its outer hydrogen and is now fusing helium into heavier elements. The star is about 4 million years old, and in 10 million to 20 million years, it will likely detonate as a supernova. The Bubble Nebula is 7 light years across about one and a half times the distance