Space jellyfish

Space jellyfish is a term given to a type of astronomical phenomenon that looks like a jellyfish in space. These jellyfish-like formations are actually supernova remnants, which are the leftover elements from a massive explosion of a dying star.

So, think of a star as a big balloon filled with gas. When it runs out of fuel, it starts to shrink and collapse under its own gravity. This makes it get hotter and hotter until it explodes in a massive blast, known as a supernova.

During the explosion, the outer layers of the star are thrown out into space, creating a beautiful, eerie-looking cloud of gas and dust that can sometimes look like a jellyfish. As the cloud expands and sweeps up more gas and dust, it can create long, wispy tendrils that resemble tentacles.

Scientists call these tendrils "filaments," and they’re made up of various elements like oxygen, nitrogen, and sulfur. These elements were forged inside the dying star and were blasted out into space during the supernova explosion.

Over time, these filaments can be shaped by magnetic fields and the pressure of gas and dust surrounding them. They can also collide with each other and create shock waves, which can heat the gas up to millions of degrees and make it glow.

So, while space jellyfish may look like something out of a fairytale, they’re actually the remnants of a violent cosmic event that created some of the most breathtaking and intriguing objects in our universe.