Acrylic on canvas.

12 x 12 x 11/16 in. (30.5 × 30.5 × 1.8 cm)

NASA captured Abell 24, a planetary nebula, emitting a striking display of red hued gases with intense yellow light. As a star reaches the end of its life, it ejects its outer layers in a spectacular burst of gas and dust, creating the ethereal form of a planetary nebula.

In this painting, the nebula’s intricate structure resembles a red rose in full bloom—a vibrant, cosmic explosion frozen in time. The delicate petals, created by the expanding layers of stellar material, mirror the fragility and beauty of life, as well as the grandeur of the universe’s endless cycle of creation and transformation. It is as though the universe itself has blossomed, offering a fleeting yet eternal tribute to the death of a star.