- The ESA shared a Hubble image of pre-planetary nebula IRAS 23166+1655 around star LL Pegasi
- The nebula shows a thin, regular spiral pattern formed by material moving at 50,000 km/hour
- Shells in the spiral are spaced about 800 years apart, matching the binary stars' orbital period
Space has a way of making geometry look effortless. While humans spend hours with rulers and compasses, the universe routinely reveals near-flawless shapes. The European Space Agency (ESA) shared an image of one of the most "perfect geometrical" forms created in space. The image, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, captures the formation of an unusual pre-planetary nebula, known as IRAS 23166+1655, around the star LL Pegasi in the constellation of Pegasus.
Also read | NASA Explains Why Earth Appears Glowing Orange In Stunning Space Photo
"The striking picture shows what appears to be a thin spiral pattern of astonishingly regularity winding around the star, which is itself hidden behind thick dust," the ESA wrote. "The spiral pattern suggests a regular periodic origin for the nebula's shape."
According to the space agency, the material forming the spiral is moving outwards at a speed of about 50 000 km/hour. ESA noted that by combining this speed with the distance between layers, astronomers calculate that the shells are each separated by about 800 years.
Also read | NASA's Psyche Mission Captures Stunning View Of Huygens Crater On Mars
"The spiral is thought to arise because LL Pegasi is a binary system, with the star that is losing material and a companion star orbiting each other. The spacing between layers in the spiral is expected to directly reflect the orbital period of the binary, which is indeed estimated to be also about 800 years," said ESA.
The image of IRAS 23166+1655 offers a rare, front-row seat to the early stages of stellar death. Stars ranging from half to eight times the mass of our Sun do not exit the universe in a violent supernova explosion. Instead, they experience a far more regal finale. As they die, they gently shed their outer layers of gas into the void. These expanding shells often drift into the glowing structures that resemble dramatic watercolour paintings to observers on Earth.
"IRAS 23166+1655 is just at the dawn of this transformation," ESA noted. "The central star has yet to fully emerge from its dusty cocoon, but it is already leaving behind an unprecedented architectural masterpiece."
