This false-color image depicts whats left of a thin shell of gas, dust and other particles that at one point closely surrounded a central star. The shell of material, which was later dubbed NGC 6888 or the Crescent nebula, is slowly expanding and becoming shredded into filaments, as a massive solar wind continues to push the nebulas material beyond its former boundaries.

Hubbles close-up image shows a portion of the entire Crescent nebula that spans some three light-years across. The entire nebula, which can roughly be seen in the black-and-white ground-based photo below, is about 16 light-years wide and 25 light-years across.

The central dying star of this nebula, visible as the bright dot near the center of the above black-and-white image, is known as WR 136. During the late stages of its life, WR 136 passed through several forms, and in the process blew off massive quantities of energy and charged particles. At one point, the star ejected material at a speed of 3.8 million miles (6.1 million kilometers) per hour.

Scientists say the material that currently exists within the Crescent nebula will continue to expand out into the stellar medium surrounding it, eventually fading away, perhaps to invisibility. And the dying star WR 136 will likely end its life in a final supernova explosion.