Located about 2,300 light-years away, this object is a "protoplanetary nebula"—the final, beautiful stage of a dying, Sun-like star. ​The star at its center (which is actually a pair of stars orbiting each other) is shedding its outer layers into space. But instead of a simple sphere, it has created this stunning, complex structure. ​The "rectangle" shape is actually an illusion. We are looking at a giant 'X' shape of glowing gas, almost like two hollow cones joined at their tips. The 'rungs' yo

Did you know Astronomers Found a Perfect Rectangle in Space — And It Shouldn’t Exist. The Red Rectangle Nebula is one of the strangest nebulae ever discovered. Instead of a typical circular shape, it forms a glowing red X due to a hidden pair of stars and thick dust clouds shaping the light. #RedRectangleNebula,#DeepSpace,#WeirdSpace,#Nebula,#SpaceMystery,#AstronomyFacts,#CosmicOddity,#SpaceScience,#NASA,#HubbleTelescope,#UniverseSecrets,#Astrophysics,#SpaceExploration,#CosmicDust,#BinaryStars,#