Astronomers in Chile have revealed an image of a planetary nebula and a bright star that appeared in the form of a large "diamond engagement ring."
The image was captured by the European Southern Observatory's (ESO) Very Large Telescope (VLT), according to The International Business Times.
The ring in the image was referred to as a "celestial gem" by the astronomers. The ESO believes the gem is about 2,500 light years away from Earth.
The ring is actually a planetary nebula called Abell 33, and the star is called HD 83535. A planetary nebula is one of the last stages of a star's life, and forms when a star with a mass similar to that of the sun's blows out of its atmosphere into space. ESO officials said when that happens, a glowing cloud of gas is created around the stellar remnant that, eventually, will become a white dwarf, Space and NASA News reported.
ESO officials added that it is rare for a planetary nebula to have the circular appearance that Abell 33 has. While these objects usually have odd shapes because of the spin of the star or other factors, Abell 33 appears as a perfect bubble.
Astronomer Olivier Hainaut said the expanding of Abell 33's atmosphere gave astronomers the chance to capture the image, The International Business Times reported.
"So what remains of the star is a little point that is right in the center and this atmospheric bubble," Hainaut said.
ESO commented on the image that the positioning of the star provides for the astronomers.
"This is just a chance alignment- the star, named HD 83535, lies in the foreground of the nebula, between Earth and Abell 33, in just the right place to make this view even more beautiful," ESO said. "Together, HD 83535 and Abell 33 create a sparkling diamond ring."
The music used in the cosmic diamond-ring video on Space.com was recorded by guitarist Joe Satriani, Space and NASA News reported. The song is called "Is There Love in Space?".
