Unfolding like celestial wings, NGC 6302—commonly called the Butterfly Nebula—captures the dramatic final stages of a sun-like star’s life. This bipolar planetary nebula spans over two light-years and is located in the constellation Scorpius, roughly 3,800 light-years from Earth. Its vibrant wings are composed of material violently ejected from the dying star at its center, which remains hidden behind a dense torus of dust.

Captured over 52 hours with Chroma filters, this image blends 9 hours of luminance with 13 hours each of Ha and OIII, and 8 hours per channel of RGB. The result reveals the exquisite structure of ionized gas sculpted by stellar winds—an intricate canvas of motion and light, glowing in hues of red and blue as the nebula races outward into interstellar space.