The Cone Nebula is a striking pillar of gas and dust located in the constellation Monoceros, about 2,700 light-years from Earth. First discovered by William Herschel in 1785, it takes its name from its distinctive conical shape when viewed from Earth, the tip of which contains a cluster of young stars, while its base harbors a region known as the Christmas Tree Cluster.

Gas pillars like the Cone Nebula are believed to be incubators to the birth of new stars, the process of which create intense winds of energy and radiation that erode the nebula as the new star forms. So, the Cone Nebula itself will eventually disappear, but it’ll leave behind some incredible new parts of space to observe.

Cone Nebula is also around 7 light-years long, which is the equivalent of going to the Moon and back over 86 million times. So, if you’re looking to travel from one end to the other, maybe pack a sandwich.