IC 2220 (Toby Jug or Butterfly Nebula)
Distance: 90 pc

Constellation: Carina


Right Ascension: 07 : 56.8 (hours : minutes)
Declination: -59 : 07 (degrees : minutes)

 

IC2220 is a type of reflection nebula formed as a result of mass loss from its parent star, the red giant HD 65750. The yellowish red light is the reflected 1ight of this parent star. The bipolar nebula (the mass of 1/100 that of our sun) was produced in an earlier phase of intense mass loss during the "giant" phase of this evolving star. Astronomers Paul Murdin, David Allen and astrophotographer David Malin coined the name "Toby Jug Nebula" for the object because of its shape similar to an old English drinking vessel of a type called Toby Jug. Another name given to this object is the Butterfly Nebula, owing to its similarity in appearance to a butterfly in flight.