A breathtaking new space photo is taking over the internet… astronomers in Chile have revealed a dazzling image of a “cosmic butterfly” spreading its glowing wings across the universe.
Released this week by the National Science Foundation’s NOIRLab, the newly captured view showcases NGC 6302… better known as the Butterfly Nebula, Bug Nebula, or Caldwell 69. The nebula sits roughly 2,500 to 3,800 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius, but the latest shot makes it look close enough to touch.
The mesmerizing image was taken last month using the Gemini South telescope, part of the International Gemini Observatory perched high on Cerro Pachón in central Chile. Its glowing “wings” aren’t just for show… they’re the remnants of a once-massive star that shed its outer layers long ago. As the exposed white dwarf heats those drifting clouds of gas, they blaze into the vibrant, butterfly-like shape we see today.
