Boomerang Nebula

space · stars · coldest place

Freezes everything. The Boomerang Nebula is so impossibly cold that it holds the record as the coldest place known to exist anywhere in the universe, with temperatures dropping to just 1 degree above absolute zero.

Boomerang shape. This nebula got its name because the glowing gas around the dying star forms a shape that looks like a boomerang from space, which is why astronomers thought the name was perfect.

Young planetary nebula. A planetary nebula forms when a star like our Sun dies and sheds its outer layers, creating a beautiful cloud of glowing gas and dust that can be seen from Earth.

Far, far away. The Boomerang Nebula is about 5,000 light-years away from Earth, which means the light you would see from it today started its journey before humans even invented writing.

Super speedy gas. The gas around this nebula is expanding outward at incredibly high speeds, faster than a bullet, which helps make it so cold because the expansion freezes everything down.