"Rare 'Bipolar' Nebula Formed by Dying Red Giant Star's Spectacular Demise"
The Gemini South telescope has captured a stunning image of a rare double-lobed planetary nebula, officially designated IC 2220 but nicknamed the Toby Jug Nebula. The nebula, located around 1,200 light-years away, was created by a dying red giant star called HR3126. This particular type of nebula is short-lived and rarely sighted, making it of great value to scientists studying stellar evolution. The absence of a companion star suggests that it has been shredded and its material dispersed in the nebula. Planetary nebulas are formed when intermediate-mass stars exhaust hydrogen at their core, causing the star to expand and create vast clouds of gas and dust.