Stunning remains of a dying star form the Spirograph Nebula

Today's Image of the Day from the European Space Agency features IC 418, a small planetary nebula about 2,000 light-years from Earth. The nebula shimmers with layers of light that seem to ripple across an empty stretch of the universe. It’s a reminder that stars don’t simply disappear when they reach the end of their lives. Many leave behind shapes and colors that feel almost unreal. IC 418 sits in the constellation Lepus and glows with the quiet intensity of a cut gemstone....