Ask an Astronomer for KIDS! - What is a nebula?





What is a nebula?

A nebula is a cloud of gas and dust in space. Some nebulas are regions where new stars are being formed, while others are the remains of dead or dying stars. Nebulas come in many different shapes and sizes. There are four main types of nebulas: Planetary nebulas, Reflection nebulas, Emission nebulas, and Absorption nebulas. The word nebula comes from the Latin word for cloud.