Cosmic butterfly emerges from star’s death

When a star dies, a cosmic butterfly shaped one emerges, as in case of he Kohoutek 3-46, which resembles a butterfly in shape. This is estimated tobe 20000 light years old and it is classified as a planetary nebula

Hyderabad: When a star with a mass between one and eight times that of the Sun exhausts its nuclear fuel, it expands into a red giant. Over time, the outer layers of the star’s atmosphere are shed, forming a glowing shell of gas and dust that can remain illuminated for thousands of years by the light of the remaining core, known as a white dwarf.

One striking example of this phenomenon is Kohoutek 3-46, which resembles a butterfly in shape. Estimated to be around 20,000 light-years old, this celestial object is classified as a planetary nebula—a term that, despite its name, has no relation to planets. The name was coined by astronomer William Herschel in the 18th century, based on the nebula’s appearance through early telescopes.

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Unlike the more common round planetary nebulas, Kohoutek 3-46 exhibits a rare bipolar hourglass shape, found in only about 10 to 20 percent of such nebulae. Discovered in 1964 by astronomer Lubos Kohoutek, who identified 300 planetary nebulas throughout his career, this object offers a unique glimpse into the end stages of stellar evolution.

The image of Kohoutek 3-46 was captured by the Gemini North telescope in Hawaii. Currently visible in the Northern Hemisphere’s evening sky, it is located in the constellation Cygnus, part of the prominent “Summer Triangle,” and is near Lyra, which hosts the well-known Ring Nebula.