The Ghost of Jupiter Nebula (AKA Caldwell 59 or NGC 3242) is a planetary nebula in the constellation Hydra. Despite its tiny apparent size, the nebula is about 4,800 light years away so relatively close in astronomical terms. It’s also fairly tiny in absolute terms, The inner, brighter part of the nebula is only two light years across and was formed about 1,500 years ago. Planetary nebulae are fairly transient phenomena and don’t last that long in astronomical time scales. We’re catching this one relatively early on.

Most astronomers think that this is the fate of our own sun, to blow off most of its atmosphere at the end of its “life” leaving a hot white dwarf that causes the gas from that lost atmosphere to glow.

Here’s a closeup on the nebula:

This is 34h 40m of LRGB+HO data. For all the technical details, see astrobin.