The "MERRY CHRISTMAS" Nebula

NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) has discovered and pictured a beautiful nebula (A nebula is an interstellar cloud of dust, hydrogen gas, helium gas and other ionized gases.) called Barnard 3, or IRAS Ring G159.6-18.5. The very attractive nebula discovered  during the Christmas Holidays has been Nicknamed as  the "Wreath Nebula" by mission scientists.

Discovery News reports, "From 1,000 light years away, this nebula looks peaceful and serene, but it is actually the site of savage stellar winds blasting from the central bright star called HD 278942. These blizzard-esque winds have shaped the warm dust into a wreath-like ring, while the luminous star is likely the only energy source causing the ring to glow in infrared wavelengths (green)."