This Lion-Like Nebula Has Cosmic Dust for a Mane and a Dying Star for a Face

It’s easy to see a lion’s face when you look at the planetary nebula NGC 2392. ROAR IN SPACE: The Lion Nebula is formally known as planetary nebula NGC 2392. AdvertisementSuch a demise is common for a star—our sun will go through the same process—but NGC 2392 is a particularly stunning planetary nebula. (The term “planetary nebula” refers to the planet-like state of the star at its white dwarf stage, not an actual planet.) NASA scientists say the Lion Nebula will take around 10,000 years to fully disperse, a mere blip in terms of the history of the universe.