"How a Wolf-Rayet Star Stages a Dazzling Light Spectacle"

The Crescent Nebula, located 5,000 light-years away in the Cygnus constellation, is formed by the energetic stellar wind from a Wolf-Rayet star colliding with slower-moving material. This nebula is expected to go supernova, creating a spectacular event, although it is unlikely that we will be alive to witness it. A stunning photo of the nebula was captured by an Ars reader using a telescope in rural southwestern Washington.