What is a nebula?

A nebula is a giant cloud of dust, hydrogen, helium, and other ionized gases in space. They can be described as a nursery for stars, as they are the birthplace of stars and planets. They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, and are one of the most visually stunning objects in the night sky.

Nebulas are formed from the remnants of dying stars, supernova explosions, and the interstellar medium (the matter that fills the space between stars). The gravity of these materials causes them to clump together and form a cloud, and over time, these clouds can condense and collapse to form new stars.

There are several types of nebulae, including emission nebulae, reflection nebulae, dark nebulae, and planetary nebulae. Emission nebulae are often bright and colorful due to the ionization of gases within them, while reflection nebulae are made up of dust particles that reflect light from nearby stars. Dark nebulae are so dense that they block the light from stars behind them, while planetary nebulae are formed when a star like our Sun runs out of fuel and sheds its outer layers.