Space photo of the week: See the gorgeous Rosette Nebula — before it destroys itself

What it is: The Rosette Nebula

Where it is: 5,000 light-years away, in the constellation Monoceros, the unicorn.

When it was shared: Oct. 1, 2024

Why it's so special: The Rosette Nebula is a big deal. At about 130 light-years across, it's roughly five times the size of the Orion Nebula — the closest star-forming region to Earth — and about four times farther away, according to the National Science Foundation's NOIRLab. It contains a lot of gas and dust. If that sounds dull, think again — just look at this spectacular image from the Dark Energy Camera (DECam) in Chile.

Those sparkling colors are caused by the ultraviolet radiation produced by the nebula's massive stars. That radiation ionizes (electrically charges) the surrounding hydrogen gas. In this image of the nebula, you can see shades of yellow and gold (ionized oxygen), red (ionized hydrogen) and pink (ionized silicon).

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At the center of the 377-megapixel image is NGC 2244, a bluish cluster of young, massive stars that has sculpted and illuminated a large cavity within the surrounding gas. NGC 2244 is about 2 million years old — an infant, in cosmic terms — and formed after the nebula's gases coalesced into clumps brought together by their mutual gravity. They give the Rosette Nebula its glowing "eye."