6/10/2023 0 Comments Red rectangle![]() The Red Rectangle Nebula – a strong source of infrared radiation – is created by the outflows of gas and dust from a central dying star. Then the star cools down and all that is left after this process is the exposed, hot and dead core, known as a white dwarf.Ī protoplanetary nebula is a relatively short-lived phenomenon, so finding one is a rare opportunity for astronomers to learn more about them and to observe the beginning of the formation of planetary nebulae (hence the name protoplanetary, or preplanetary nebulae). But before the nebula begins to shine, fierce winds of material ejected from the star will continue to shape the surrounding gas into intricate patterns. At that point it will have the power needed to make the gas glow, and will become a real full-fledged planetary nebula. Instead, the gas is merely reflecting the light from the star.īut as the star continues to evolve, it becomes hot enough to emit strong ultraviolet light. This increases the temperature at its core and most of the stars material is catapulted into space, enveloping itself in clouds of gas, but the core is not yet hot enough to make the gas itself glow on its own. The star balloons to great size and becomes a red giant.Įventually, however, the star collapses back on itself. After billions of years, the hydrogen fuel that powers the star begins to run out. The nebula is so called because of its red color and rectangular shape.ĭespite their name, protoplanetary nebulae have nothing to do with planets: they are clouds of dust and gas formed from material shed by an aging central star similar in mass to our Sun. The Red Rectangle Nebula (designated HD 44179) is a bipolar protoplanetary nebula of only about one third of a light-year across, located some 2,300 light-years away toward the constellation of Monoceros.
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