Floating like a cosmic jellyfish amid a sea of glowing gas and dust, RCW 104 surrounds a dying star located roughly 9,000 light-years away in the constellation Norma. At the heart of this stunning nebula is the Wolf–Rayet star WR 75, a massive stellar remnant shedding its outer layers through intense stellar winds. The bubble-like structure is formed as these winds collide with surrounding material, energizing the gas and sculpting the vibrant nebular shell.

This wide-field portrait, taken from the dark skies of the SADR Observatory in Chile, reveals not only the turquoise-blue bubble of RCW 104 but also the expansive background of red hydrogen-alpha filaments that dominate the surrounding region. The sharp contrast between the cool, turbulent winds of the Wolf–Rayet star and the dense, glowing hydrogen of the interstellar medium makes this a compelling glimpse into the final stages of stellar evolution.