WR 124 (above) is a Wolf-Rayet star in the constellation of Sagitta surrounded by a ring nebula of expelled material known as M1-67. It is one of the fastest runaway stars in the galaxy with a radial velocity around 200 km/s, and was discovered by Paul W. Merrill in 1938, identified as a high velocity Wolf Rayet star. It’s surrounded by an intensely hot nebula formed from the star’s extreme stellar wind. The nebula M1-67 is expanding at a rate of over 150,000 km/h (100,000 mph) and is nearly 6 light-years across, leading to the dynamical age of 20,000 years. Continue reading for more amazing space photos that were captured this year.
12. Jets of Energized Gas Shooting from a Young Star
11. Pillars of Creation in Infrared
10. Comet 67P
9. Acidalia Planitia on Mars (Seen in “The Martian” Movie)
8. Galaxy NGC 488
7. Mount Sharp on Mars
6. Pluto
5. Saturn’s Moons Enceladus and Tethys Lined Up
4. Smiley Face Caused by Gravitational Lensing
3. Thor’s Helmet Nebula
2. Pluto’s Moon Charon
1. Kimberly Formation on Mars
