Telescope captures the ghost of a giant star

When the biggest stars reach the end of their lives, they often go out with a bang, in an outburst called a supernova

The orange and pink clouds that make up what remains after the explosive death of a massive star (ESO/VPHAS+ team. Acknowledgement: Cambridge Astronomical Survey Unit/PA)

The ghostly remains of a giant star reveal a tapestry of colours and waves.

After a massive star’s life ended in a powerful explosion some 11,000 years ago, the wispy structure of pink and orange clouds is all that remains.