Portrait of M1-63, a beautiful example of a bipolar planetary nebula in the constellation Scutum, captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Credit: ESA / Hubble & NASA, L. Stanghellini
This week’s NASA/ ESA Hubble Space Telescope Picture of the Week contains an impressive portrait of M1-63, a beautifully captured example of a bipolar planetary nebula in the constellation Scutum (the shield). A nebula like this is formed when the star in its center throws large amounts of material out of its outer layers, leaving behind a spectacular cloud of gas and dust.
It is believed that a binary system of stars in the center of the bipolar nebula is capable of creating hourglass or butterfly-like shapes as in this image. This is because the material of the star that is ejected is drawn to the poles, with the help of the companion, creating the characteristic double-shaped structure seen in nebulae such as M1-63.