Dying Star Forms 'Diamond Ring' in Space

Apr 09, 2014 11:24 AM EDT | Jordan Ecarma

A dying star is serving to create a beautiful shape in space that looks like a diamond ring.

Formed from a star similar to our sun in the constellation Hydra, a planetary nebula called Abell 33 has aligned with a bright star to form an ring-like shape, CNN reported.

The spectacular space picture was captured by the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope. The "diamond" in the engagement ring-esque alignment is HD 83535, a star that shines much brighter than the soon-to-be white dwarf in the center of Abell 33, according to NBC News.

Abell 33, which is approximately 2,500 light years away from Earth, formed when its star blew out glowing gas clouds that appear in a bubble or ring shape. Besides its unique alignment with HD 83535, the planetary nebula is unusual for its virtually perfect symmetry. Most planetary nebulae are interrupted by the direction their stars spin or by other stars within the system.

The remnant of the star inside Abell 33 is still visible as a small white dot in the nebula's center. According to the European Southern Observatory, it shines brighter than our own sun and sends out the ultraviolet radiation to form the ring's glow.

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