NGC 6164, often referred to as the Dragon's Egg Nebula, is a striking bipolar emission nebula located approximately 4,200 light-years away in the southern constellation Norma. Spanning roughly 4 light-years across, this cosmic structure is characterized by its intricate, reverse-S shaped glowing lobes created by high-speed stellar winds streaming outward at speeds up to 8 million kilometers per hour. Expanding beyond its bright central core is a faint, majestic outer halo of gas, thrown into interstellar space by explosive outbursts thousands of years ago.
NGC 6164, often referred to as the Dragon's Egg Nebula, is a striking bipolar emission nebula located approximately 4,200 light-years away in the southern constellation Norma. Spanning roughly 4 light-years across, this cosmic structure is characterized by its intricate, reverse-S shaped glowing lobes created by high-speed stellar winds streaming outward at speeds up to 8 million kilometers per hour. Expanding beyond its bright central core is a faint, majestic outer halo of gas, thrown into interstellar space by explosive outbursts thousands of years ago.