The Spaghetti Nebula Supernova Remnant: Simeis 147 in Taurus

The Spaghetti Nebula Supernova Remnant: Simeis 147 in Taurus

Its popular nickname is the Spaghetti Nebula. Officially cataloged as Simeis 147 and Sharpless 2-240, it is easy to get lost following the looping and twisting filaments of this intricate supernova remnant. Seen toward the boundary of the constellations of the Bull (Taurus) and the Charioteer (Auriga), the impressive gas structure covers nearly 3 degrees on the sky, equivalent to 6 full moons. This is about 150 light-years at the stellar debris cloud's estimated distance of 3,000 light-years. The supernova remnant has an estimated age of about 40,000 years, meaning light from this powerful stellar explosion first reached the Earth when woolly mammoths roamed free. Besides the expanding remnant, this cosmic catastrophe left behind a pulsar, a fast-spinning neutron star that is the remnant of the original star's core. This image was captured in December 2025 from Forca Canapine, Italy.

Image Description: A starfield surrounds a giant red nebula. The nebula has so many winding filaments that it has been dubbed the Spaghetti Nebula.

Image Credit & Copyright: Saverio Ferretti

Saverio's website: 

https://www.instagram.com/sferretti70/
Release Date: Jan. 7, 2026

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