![]() The reasons for these fresh periodic ejections of more gas and dust remain unknown. The disc then funnels subsequent dust and gas outflows out along its axis, forming the bizarre bi-conical structure we see as the rung of the Red Rectangle. Interactions between these stars have probably caused the ejection of the thick dust disc that obscures our view of the binary. Astronomers have found that the central star is actually a close pair of stars orbiting each other with a period of about 10.5 months. The light we see streams out along the axis of the disc, and is scattered towards us by dust particles. This is the shadow of a dense disc of dust that surrounds the star and obscures it from direct view. Exactly which molecules in the dust cloud are responsible for the striking red colour of the Rectangle is not yet clear, but it is likely that they are some kind of hydrocarbon formed in the cool outflows from the central star.Īnother remarkable feature of the Red Rectangle, visible only with the superb resolution of the Hubble telescope, is the dark band passing across the central star. When this occurs the gas in the nebula will begin to fluoresce, producing a 'planetary nebula'.Īt the present time, however, the star is still so cool that atoms in the nebula do not glow and the surrounding dust particles are only visible as they reflect light from the central star. The shedding of the outer layers began about 14 000 years ago, and in a few thousand years, the star will have become smaller and hotter, releasing a flood of ultraviolet light into the surrounding nebula. It is now nearing the end of its lifetime, and is in the process of ejecting its outer layers to produce the visible nebula. The field of view is about 25 by 20 arcseconds.The star at the centre of the Red Rectangle began its life as a star similar to our Sun. Orange-red light over a wider range of wavelengths through a F625W filter was coloured blue. Red light from glowing Hydrogen was captured through the F658N filter and coloured red. The High Resolution Channel of the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys captured this view of HD 44179 and the surrounding Red Rectangle nebula - the sharpest view so far. The Red Rectangle is found about 2 300 light-years away in the constellation Monoceros (the Unicorn). Once the expulsion of mass is complete a very hot white dwarf star will remain and its brilliant ultraviolet radiation will cause the surrounding gas to glow. These are old stars, on their way to becoming planetary nebulae. The Red Rectangle is an unusual example of what is known as a proto-planetary nebula. It is likely that precessing jets of material played a role. Precisely how the central engine of this remarkable and unique object spun the gossamer threads of nebulosity remains mysterious. ![]() It also appears that the star is a close binary that is surrounded by a dense torus of dust - both of which may help to explain the very curious shape. ![]() ![]() The star at the centre is similar to the Sun, but at the end of its lifetime, pumping out gas and other material to make the nebula, and giving it the distinctive shape. ![]() This strikingly detailed new Hubble image reveals how, when seen from space, the nebula, rather than being rectangular, is shaped like an X with additional complex structures of spaced lines of glowing gas, a little like the rungs of a ladder. The distance is calculated using the parallax from the original Hipparcos data released in 1997 which is 2.62000. The Red Rectangle Nebula is believed to be a late stage in the life of a star similar to our sun, and provides insight into the processes of stellar evolution and the formation of planetary nebulae. It acquired its moniker because of its shape and its apparent colour when seen in early images from Earth. Red Rectangle Nebula distance from Earth is 1244.90 light-years away from Earth or 381.68 parsecs. The nebula is about 2,300 light-years away from Earth and is one of the few planetary nebulae known to have a complex, asymmetrical shape. The star HD 44179 is surrounded by an extraordinary structure known as the Red Rectangle. ![]()
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