Nebula

A nebula is a distinct luminous part of interstellar matter, which may become a diffuse mass of interstellar clouds or dust or a cloud of gas and plasma. Originally, the term was used to describe any diffuse astronomical object, including galaxies beyond the Milky Way. The Hebrew translation for nebula is ענן בין-כוכבי (anan bein-kokhavi). In Latin, it is nebula, in French nébuleuse, in German Nebel, in Spanish nebulosa, and in Japanese 星雲 (せいうん, seiun). Nebulas are often star-forming regions, such as in the "Pillars of Creation" in the Eagle Nebula. They are made of dust, hydrogen, helium, and other ionized gases. Though these gas clouds are typically of very low density, larger ones may still present considerable mass and can be light years in size. Nebulas play a crucial role in the life cycle of stars, serving as the birthplace for new stars while the death throes of massive stars create new nebulae from the gas and dust they expel.