Astronomy Picture of the Day [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2025 August 5 [2]A starfield is shown dominated by a complex nebula shown with many red filaments and with a light glow in a region near the center. Please see the explanation for more detailed information. NGC 6072: A Complex Planetary Nebula from Webb Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]ESA, [5]CSA, [6]STScI, [7]JWST Explanation: Why is this nebula so complex? The [8]Webb Space Telescope has imaged a nebula in great detail that is thought to have emerged from a [9]Sun-like star. [10]NGC 6072 has been resolved into one of the more unusual and complex examples of [11]planetary nebula. The [12]featured image is in [13]infrared light with the red color highlighting cool [14]hydrogen gas. [15]Study of previous images of NGC 6072 indicated several likely [16]outflows and two [17]disks inside the jumbled gas, while the new Webb image resolves new features likely including one disk's edge protruding on the central left. A [18]leading origin hypothesis holds that the nebula's complexity is caused or enhanced by multiple outbursts from a star in a [19]multi-star system near the center. Tomorrow's picture: meteor galaxy __________________________________________________________________ [20]< | [21]Archive | [22]Submissions | [23]Index | [24]Search | [25]Calendar | [26]RSS | [27]Education | [28]About APOD | [29]Discuss | [30]> __________________________________________________________________ Authors & editors: [31]Robert Nemiroff ([32]MTU) & [33]Jerry Bonnell ([34]UMCP) NASA Official: Amber Straughn [35]Specific rights apply. [36]NASA Web Privacy, [37]Accessibility, [38]Notices; A service of: [39]ASD at [40]NASA / [41]GSFC, [42]NASA Science Activation & [43]Michigan Tech. U. References 1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2508/Ngc6072_webb_3755.jpg 3. https://www.nasa.gov/ 4. https://www.esa.int/ 5. https://www.asc-csa.gc.ca/eng/ 6. https://www.stsci.edu/ 7. https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/ 8. https://webbtelescope.org/home 9. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/ 10. https://esawebb.org/images/weic2514a/ 11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planetary_nebula 12. https://science.nasa.gov/centers-and-facilities/goddard/nasas-webb-traces-details-of-complex-planetary-nebula/ 13. https://science.nasa.gov/ems/07_infraredwaves/ 14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap010113.html 15. https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2010ApJ...708...93K/abstract 16. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap240627.html 17. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap231017.html 18. https://ychef.files.bbci.co.uk/1280x720/p0bzc0wl.jpg 19. https://science.nasa.gov/universe/stars/multiple-star-systems/ 20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250804.html 21. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html 22. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html 23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html 24. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search 25. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html 26. https://apod.com/feed.rss 27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html 28. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html 29. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=250805 30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap250805.html 31. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html 32. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/ 33. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html 34. http://www.astro.umd.edu/ 35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply 36. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html 37. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/ 38. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/ 39. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/ 40. https://www.nasa.gov/ 41. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/ 42. https://science.nasa.gov/learners 43. http://www.mtu.edu/