![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e3/Egg_Nebula.jpg/300px-Egg_Nebula.jpg)
The Egg Nebula is a planetary nebula, forming as the outer layers are gently expelled from a dying red giant star which has exhausted all its nuclear fuel. The 'searchlight' effect is caused by light emerging from the thinnest parts of a thick cloud of dust surrounding the star.