Finnish astrophotographer J-P Metsävainio has combined art and science to make these stunning 3D-esque animated GIFs of nebulae.

Running Chicken Nebula is a stellar nursery located in the constellation Centaurus. See a 3D animation created from VLT Survey imagery of these stunning regions of space.

Seen below is IC 1396 or the Elephants Trunk Nebula. [img]2 [/img] These animated GIF images are in all actuality an artist interpretation of how he thinks the nebula would appear if passing by.

The Carina Nebula, dubbed the ‘Pillars of Destruction’, in reference to their similarity to the iconic Nasa image, has been studied in more detail than ever before. The spires and pillars ...