In such an instance, it would be expected that the material would be flung in a spherical manner, but the cause of the odd symmetrical shape of the Ant nebula is puzzling. The predominant theory is that the dying star is in a binary system with a companion at a distance comparable to that of the Earth and Sun, with the other star sweeping the material into the ‘ant’ shape. Another theory suggests that the strong magnetic fields of the dying star are directing electrically charged gas moving at 1,000 kilometres (600 miles) per second along the magnetic field lines to produce the ‘ant’.
The Ant nebula’s central star is thought to be very similar to our own Sun and, because of this, astronomers are hopeful that by understanding what exactly is going on at the heart of Menzel 3 they may be able to predict what will become of the Sun, and indeed the Earth, in the distant future several billion years from now.