The Mermaid Nebula Supernova Remnant.

New stars are born from the remnants of dead star s. The gaseous remnant of the gravitational collapse and subsequent death of a very massive star in our Milky Way created the G296.5+10.0 supernova remnant , of which the featured Mermaid Nebula is part. Also known as the Betta Fish Nebula , the Mermaid Nebula makes up part of an unusual subclass of supernova remnants that are two-sided and nearly circular. Originally discovered in X-rays , the filamentary nebula is a frequently studied source also in radio and gamma-ray light. The blue color visible here originates from doubly ionized oxygen (OIII), while the deep red is emitted by hydrogen gas . The nebula's mermaid-like shape has proven to be useful for measurements of the interstellar magnetic field .

Growing Gallery: Last night's supermoon eclipse