Astronomy Picture of the Day ·

Red Spider Planetary Nebula from Webb

The Astronomy Picture of the Day for February 3, 2026 is “Red Spider Planetary Nebula from Webb,” an image. It is credited to Image Credit: ESA/Webb , NASA & CSA , J. H. Kastner ( RIT ). The original explanation runs about 155 words.

A dense starfield surrounds a blue and red nebula that stretches from the lower left to the upper right. The outer parts of the nebula are blue and filamentary, while the innermost part is red and bright. Please see the explanation for more
Credit: Image Credit: ESA/Webb , NASA & CSA , J. H. Kastner ( RIT ) Shown from science.nasa.gov. Not hosted by OpenOrbit.

From the explanation

“Oh what a tangled web a planetary nebula can weave. The Red Spider Planetary Nebula shows the complex structure that can result when a normal star ejects its outer gases and becomes a white dwarf star.”

— APOD editors, February 3, 2026

Read the full explanation on science.nasa.gov

At a glance

Date
February 3, 2026
Type
Image
Credit
Credit: Image Credit: ESA/Webb , NASA & CSA , J. H. Kastner ( RIT )
Copyright
No copyright notice on the entry. Check the credited institution’s own usage rules before reusing it.
Explanation length
About 155 words

All of February 2026 → · 2026 by month → · Full archive since 1995 →

Topics in this entry

NebulaeJames Webb Space Telescope

Topics are matched from words in the title and explanation.

On this day: February 3 in other years

On Amazon

Popular picks for space fans

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Electronics Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition 32GB Read astronomy and space-history books anywhere. View on Amazon → Electronics Bose QuietComfort Wireless Headphones Noise-cancelling headphones for documentaries and launch livestreams. View on Amazon →

Source

Copy taken Oct 28, 2026, 2:39 AM EDT. The image and explanation belong to their creators. OpenOrbit is not affiliated with or endorsed by NASA.