Starship Asterisk*

Dirty Snowbank Nebula

Sea Star Nebula

Zeus nebula – looks like the head when viewed from the front and from above. Forehead, eyebrows, nose, beard. Have a nice day from Czech Republic

Babel Nebula.

The Totoro nebula.

Cerebella Nebula!

Or brain nebula

It appears to me to be a wolfs head with the snout point to the right, the ears laid back, and eyes looking out toward the viewer.

Cygnus Dia

How about 'Rhomboid Nebula'?

It's hard to imagine that another nebula will ever fit that name better than this one does.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhomboid

Or maybe 'Flag Nebula'.

Or the popular 'Pillow Nebula' suggestion would work too.

I'm just not seeing the starfish, flying squirrels and other exotic critters there.

Flying Squirrel Nebula

Batman Nebula.

Has his head tucked and the view is from behind, so you see his cape, mostly

Boomer12k wrote:Awesome!!!! The StarFish Nebula!!!!! look at it again....Five Legs...off from a large center....a Starfish....appropriate too.

In a few thousand years, or tens it should be nice and translucent....

This still looks like it is exploding, and it is not a smooth process...amazing.

:---[===] *

Agree with Boomer12K. Definitely a Starfish. Definitely.

Snoop Dogg Nebula

Magic Carpet Nebula

I agree with the others who suggested "Pillow". I think it should be named NGC 7027, the Pillow Nebula

What about Sheep Skin nebula?
Or Yeti Skin..?

Diaper Nebula

Magic Carpet nebula

The Beignet Nebula.

3 classical human profiles and 2 aquatic animal profiles. So distinct one has to wonder. "Quintet Nebula" "Mammalian 5 Nebula".

Can't help but see it -- Flying Squirrel (or one the squirrel's scientific names: Pteromyini or Petauristini) would be a great name for this planetary nebula!

The Pillow Nebula

The Popcorn Blanket

Upon further thought, instead of a "popcorn blanket", I think it looks more like a "popcorn pillow".