IC 2220, also known as the Toby Jug Nebula, is a reflection nebula located 1200 light years away in the southern constellation of Carina.The nebula was observed by the Gemini South telescope in 2023. It has an almost symmetrical bipolar structure, made up of gas and dust, reflecting light of the central red giant star HR 3126. This is rarely seen because the end-of-life phase of this type of star is relatively brief. Astronomers think that it is formed following the interaction between the dying red giant and a former companion star.
An optical linear polarization map of IC 2220, the nebula surrounding the cool red giant HD 65750, is presented. The nebula appears to be bipolar and biconical in structure. The mass of the nebula is estimated to be 0.01 solar masses and is consistent with the nebula being formed from the current mass loss stage of the central star.Notes:The reflection nebula IC 2220 surrounds the cool red giant star HD 65750. IC2220 is also known as the Toby Jug Nebula, named by astronomers P. Murdin, D. Allen and D. Malin because of its resemblance to the shape of an tankard called a Toby Jug HD 65750 has five times the mass of our Sun but it is in a much more advanced stage of its life, despite its comparatively young age of around 50 million years.“This allowed the star to burn through its hydrogen supply and become a red giant much faster than the Sun,” the researchers said.“As HD 65750 swelled, its atmosphere expanded and it began to shed its outer layers.”“The expelled stellar material flowed out into the surrounding area, forming a magnificent structure of gas and dust that reflects the light from the central star.”Detailed studies of IC 2220 in infrared light have revealed that silicon dioxide (silica) is the most likely compound reflecting HD 65750’s light.Astronomers theorize that bipolar structures similar to those seen in the nebula are the result of interactions between the central red giant and a binary companion star.Previous observations, however, found no such companion to HD 65750. Instead, astronomers observed an extremely compact disk of material around the central star.This finding suggests that a former binary companion was possibly shredded into the disk, which may have triggered the formation of the surrounding nebula.“In about 5 billion years from now, when our Sun has burned through its supply of hydrogen, it too will become a red giant and eventually evolve into a planetary nebula,” the scientists said.“In the very distant future, all that will be left of our Solar System will be a nebula as vibrant as HD 65750 with the slowly cooling Sun at its heart.”
Thank you  to Martin Pugh for providing me this high-quality data.