NGC 6164 Dragon's Egg in HOO Pallette

NGC 6164 The Dragon’s Egg (HOO Version)

In this HOO rendering of NGC 6164, the nebula’s turbulent shell unfolds like a cosmic storm frozen in time. Ionized hydrogen glows in deep crimson, while oxygen-rich filaments rise in cool teal together revealing the dramatic structure carved by a massive O-type star at the center.

This star, only a few million years old, is shedding powerful winds that sculpt the surrounding gas into a striking bipolar bubble: a luminous “egg” wrapped in swirling, plumes extending far into the interstellar medium. The contrasting colors highlight the violent interplay of energy and chemistry oxygen tracing the shock-heated outer arcs, hydrogen marking the broader, diffuse clouds beyond.