NGC 6302-The Butterfly

NGC 6302 known as the Bug or Butterfly Nebula is a bipolar planetary nebula located 3800 light years away in the Constellation Scorpius. This tiny object appears to be a calm butterfly floating in space. Reality is far different. Hot gas is spewing from a dying star near its center. The wings are actually gas racing out at over 600,000 mph and nearly 20,000 C. The central star itself cannot be seen but is one of the hottest known at over 250,000 C.