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| The Egg Nebula is a cloud of gas and dust formed as a dying star ejects the outer layers of its surface. The star casts off the ejected material in a sequence of pulsations, causing the rippled appearance of the nebula. A dense shroud of dust, which is visible as the dark band running through the center of the image, blocks the star from view and focuses the ejected material into a bipolar flow. The nebula is illuminated by starlight, which is reflected from dust particles in the cloud. The ejected material is expanding from the star at a speed of about 100,000 miles per hour. The Egg nebula is some 3000 light years away. |
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