Hot X-ray-emitting gas detected by ESA’s XMM-Newton reveals the Eskimo’s blue face shining at 2 million degrees Celsius. It is framed by complex shells of ejected stellar material and a fur-lined hood, seen in optical wavelengths by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope (red and green).

The Eskimo Nebula, or NGC 2392, is located about 4000 light-years from Earth in the constellation of Gemini. Astronomer William Herschel discovered the nebula in 1787.

The Eskimo Nebula was observed by XMM-Newton’s EPIC instrument on 2 April 2004. The field of view is 1.33 x 1.33 arcmin.

This image was featured as our Space Science Image of the Week on 11 February 2013.