The Universities Association for Research in Astronomy (AURA) has announced the discovery of a rare luminous nebula, IC 2220. Press release.
Nicknamed the Toby Jug Nebula because it resembles an old English drinking jug, this rare astronomical find is located 1,200 light-years away in the direction of the constellation Carina.
This reflection nebula — the double-lobed cloud of gas and dust created and illuminated by the central red giant star — is an excellent opportunity to study stellar evolution and cosmic structures, and red giant stars have a short lifespan. life stage
The story of HR3126
At the center of the Toby Jug Nebula is its progenitor, a red giant star called HR3126. Much younger than our Sun, this star has five times its mass, allowing it to burn through its hydrogen supply at an accelerated rate.