SUNSET: 
0
Photographer:
Astro Aldo
Location of Photo:
Atacama Desert, Chile
Date/Time of photo:
2025/10/10
Equipment:
1000mm RC at Chilescope
Description:
The Red Rectangle is a protoplanetary nebula surrounding the star, or rather the binary system of two stars orbiting each other, HD44179. It has axial symmetry with two cones of gas emerging from the nucleus in opposite directions, whose shape is determined by the magnetic fields of the binary system at the center, plus a central disk of dust that we see edge-on from Earth. The two gas emission cones appear as if through a lateral section, and this gives rise to the object's apparent X-shape.Inside the cones, a series of structures of higher density can be seen perpendicular to the axis, which appear as bright lines that cut the cones parallel to the base.
