Nestled 4,200 light-years away in the southern constellation Norma (historically La Règle), the paired emission nebulae NGC 6164 and NGC 6165 stretch outward from the massive O-type star HD 148937, forming a striking bipolar structure reminiscent of a cosmic flame or dragon’s breath. The brighter, compact central region is enveloped by faint, curving tendrils of ionized gas, which are sculpted by powerful stellar winds and past mass ejections.

The surrounding nebulosity likely resulted from HD 148937 undergoing unstable outbursts during its short, turbulent lifetime. At the heart of the image, hydrogen-alpha emission glows in magenta hues, while oxygen-rich filaments shimmer in shades of blue, revealing the complexity of this rarely imaged stellar outflow. Deep, narrowband exposures and refined processing were required to capture the delicate structure and faint outer arcs of this extraordinary object.