Cotton-Candy Star

The remains of a dying star look like a puff of cotton candy in this infrared image from Spitzer Space Telescope. Known as NGC 4361, the star is classified as a planetary nebula because of its superficial resemblance to a planet. It has expelled its outer layers of gas, which are expanding into space at thousands of miles per hour. The star's hot core, a white dwarf, illuminates the surrounding nebula. [NASA/JPL]