The sun and planets, including Earth, originated within a nebula approximately 4.5 billion years ago.
Nebulae are often referred to as star nurseries, as they are the birthplaces of new stars.
The Tarantula Nebula, or 30 Doradus, is the largest known nebula, spanning 600 light years and fostering intense star formation.
The Helix Nebula, just 700 light years away, formed from a star similar to our sun.
Nebulae take their shapes from the combined energy of the stars within and the surrounding phenomena.
While most nebulae require telescopes to observe, the Orion Nebula is bright enough to be seen without aids.
In approximately 5 billion years, our sun will exhaust its fuel, expanding and eventually forming a nebula.