a very bright blue object in the middle of the night sky

Hubble Sees a Cosmic Caterpillar Caption This light-year-long knot of interstellar gas and dust resembles a caterpillar on its way to a feast. But the meat of the story is not only what this cosmic caterpillar eats for lunch, but also what's eating it. Credits NASA, ESA, the Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA), and IPHAS