Symmetry in Space
The Red Square Nebula presents an excellent example of the vast symmetry and beauty in nature.
The Red Square Nebula is a celestial object located in the area of the sky occupied by star MWC 922. The first images of thisbipolar nebula, taken using the Mt Palomar Hale telescope in California, were released in April 2007. It is notable for its square shape, which according to Sydney University astrophysicist Peter Tuthill, makes it one of the most symmetrical celestial objects ever discovered.
The explanation proposed by Tuthill and his collaborator James Lloyd of Cornell University claims that the shape arises from two cone shapes placed tip-to-tip. This also explains the “double-ring” structure seen in SN 1987A.
Towards the end of their lives, many low-mass stars, like the Sun, slough off their outer layers to produce striking ‘planetary’ nebulae. But the hot star at the heart of the Red Square nebula, called MWC 922, appears to be relatively massive, suggesting another process formed its signature shape.
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