This cosmic snake is, in fact, the core of a dense, sooty cloud that could engulf our solar system a dozen times over.
Scientists initially thought the hole at the centre of this nebula was a could of gas that obstructs background light. However, later observations indicate that this dark area is, in fact, an empty void in space.
The mysterious look of this nebula is from the radiation from the star Gamma Cassiopeia, gradually wearing down this ethereal formation.
This is a star-forming region situated 5,000 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros, also known as the Unicorn.
The reddish tendrils of this nebula are vast regions where stars are forming.