NGC 2359, famously known as Thor’s Helmet, is a striking emission nebula located 15,000 light-years away in the constellation Canis Major. This cosmic structure, shaped by intense stellar winds, resembles the helmet of the Norse god Thor, complete with sweeping, wing-like extensions of glowing gas.

At its core lies a Wolf-Rayet star (WR7)—an exceptionally hot and massive star in a late stage of its evolution. This star is shedding its outer layers at speeds exceeding 2,000 km/s, creating powerful shockwaves that shape the nebula’s complex arcs and filaments.

Captured in the SHO (Hubble Palette) narrowband, this image reveals the nebula’s intricate structure and ionization zones:

• Sulfur-II (SII) in deep red, highlighting cooler, dense regions of gas.

• Hydrogen-alpha (Ha) in golden yellow, mapping the expansive ionized hydrogen clouds.

• Oxygen-III (OIII) in electric blues, tracing the high-energy zones near the Wolf-Rayet star.

Spanning 30 light-years across, Thor’s Helmet is not only a spectacular sight but also a pre-supernova candidate, meaning WR7 will eventually explode in a supernova, enriching the interstellar medium with heavy elements.

With over 18 hours of exposure time, this meticulously processed image unveils the nebula’s intricate details and dynamic interplay of stellar forces, making it a testament to the power and beauty of our universe.