Publications of the MPIfR
Optical & Infrared
Interferometry Group
R. Osterbart, N. Langer, and G. Weigelt
High-resolution Imaging of the Bipolar Nebula
Red Rectangle: evidence for unstable mass transfer in a close binary
system
Astronomy and Astrophysics, v.325, p.609-612 (1997)
Abstract
We present the first diffraction-limited speckle-masking bispectrum
observations of the central part of the Red Rectangle at optical
wavelengths (λ~656nm and λ~800nm). The results confirm
infrared observations which show that the object is a bipolar nebula.
The dark lane separating the two lobes is probably produced by an
obscuring dust disk slightly inclined with respect to the line of
sight.
The fainter northern lobe appears not to be reddened by the disk. This
implies an upper limit of the outer disk radius of about 200AU. We
propose that the observed nebula is the result of recent mass ejection
induced by unstable mass transfer from an AGB star to a close
companion.
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