The Dumbbell Nebula is another example of the wild process of a star’s demise. About 1,200 light years from earth, this beautiful cloud of gas and dust formed when a dying star blasted off its outer layers. If you look closely at the center of the nebula, you can spot the the little white dwarf star that’s responsible for this beautiful display. The red color represents ionized hydrogen gas, and the blue-green represents oxygen.