A telescope in Chile has unveiled a breathtaking new portrait of the Butterfly Nebula, one of the most visually striking objects in our galaxy.
The image, released by the National Science Foundation’s NOIRLab, highlights the nebula’s radiant “wings,” located between 2,500 and 3,800 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius. For scale, a single light-year equals about 9 trillion kilometers (6 trillion miles)—a reminder of just how vast this cosmic structure really is. The photo was captured last month using the powerful Gemini South telescope.
At the center of the nebula lies a white dwarf—an old, fading star that shed its outer layers long ago. These expelled clouds of gas form the butterfly-shaped figure that gives the nebula its name. The intense heat from the dying star energizes the gas, causing the wings to glow in vivid shades that can be seen across the universe.
In a meaningful touch, the target for this observation was chosen by schoolchildren in Chile as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of the Gemini International Observatory—bringing together science, curiosity, and the next generation of stargazers.