The European Space Agency just released a stunning image of the bright nebula called NGC 2359, also known as Thor's helmet, since its gas arches and bluish center bulge resembles the Norse god's winged helmet. 

This amazing image is actually a composite of two photos captured by the ESA's XMM-Newton space observatory's EPIC cameras along with the Stars and Shadows Remote Observatory South located at the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.

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These ultra vivid colors provide clues as to the nebula's composition. The brilliant blue patches reveals X-ray emissions detected by the EPIC cameras while the red and eerie green regions are aglow with ionized hydrogen and oxygen as seen by the Stars and Shadows cameras.

These intense X-ray emissions originate from a Wolf-Rayet star located at the center of the HD 56925 nebula. This particular star is s ancient and massive and it releases great amounts of material at a spinning rate equivalent to the energy released by the Sun over 100,000 years.

Apart from this colossal mass loss, winds traveling inside the nebula are detected at 932 miles per second.

This chaotic, violent interaction within Thor's helmet has produced a somewhat messy structure. The central bulge is enshrouded in gaseous filaments and thick dark dust along with bright energy bursts are all interstellar material being swept away by winds, producing powerful shock waves that ripple across the nebular region.

The hottest regions in Thor's helmet have the coolest colors, specifically the blue blowout near the lower left and central region.

Astronomers believe gas swirling inside NGC 2359 can reach scorching temperatures between seven million to 10 million degrees. Thor's helmet is about 15,000 light years away from Earth and spans 30 light years across.

TagsBehold Thor's Helmet, a Stunning Hot Mess of a Nebula, thor's helmet, nebulas, ESA, thor's helmet nebula ESA