Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. Previously known from ground based observations, the sheer number of cometary knots found in this single nebula is astonishing . Hot, fast moving shells of nebular gas overrunning cooler, denser, slower shells ejected by the star during an earlier expansion may produce these droplet-like condensations as the two shells intermix and fragment. An intriguing possibility is that instead of dissipating over time, these objects, could collapse and form pluto-like bodies. If so, these icy worlds created near the end of a star's life, would be numerous in our galaxy.
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