The Gum Nebula is a large, bright emission nebula located in the southern sky, primarily in the constellation Vela. It spans about 3 degrees across and is approximately 1,000 light-years away from Earth. The nebula is named after the Australian astronomer Colin Gum, who cataloged it in the 1950s. This nebula is part of a larger region of star formation and contains several young, hot stars that emit ultraviolet light, causing the surrounding gas and dust to glow. The Gum Nebula is also associated with the Vela Supernova Remnant, which is the remnants of a massive star that exploded millions of years ago.