ExploraTour: A Peek into the Lives of the Stars
Oxygen-Rich Supernova Remnant N132D.
N132D is the scattered remains of a star that exploded some 3,000 years ago (about the time the ancient Egyptians were living on Earth).
The star responsible for this ejected material originally was 25 times heavier than the sun. The clouds of gas were blown away from the exploding star at high speeds.
This image is particularly exciting because the blue-green color shows where oxygen atoms can be found in outer space. These atoms may eventually become part of the air surrounding some new planet.
The reddish filaments are regions of hot gas and dust out of which new stars may form.