Planetary Nebulae
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A&A 454, 527–536 (2006) Astronomy DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20053468 & c ESO 2006 Astrophysics A search for photometric variability of hydrogen-deficient planetary-nebula nuclei, J. M. González Pérez1,2, J.-E. Solheim2,3, and R. Kamben2 1 Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias, 38200 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain e-mail: [email protected] 2 Institut of Physics, University of Tromsø, 9037 Tromsø, Norway 3 Institut of Theoretical Astrophysics, University of Oslo, PO box 1029 Blindern, 0315 Oslo, Norway Received 18 May 2005 / Accepted 9 March 2006 ABSTRACT Aims. We searched for photometric variability in a sample of hot, hydrogen-deficient planetary nebula nuclei (PNNi) with “PG 1159” or “O VI” spectral type, most of them embedded in a bipolar or elliptical planetary nebula envelope (PNe). These characteristics may indicate the presence of a hidden close companion and an evolution affected by episodes of interaction between them. Methods. We obtained time-series photometry from a sample of 11 candidates using the Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) with the Andalucía Faint Object Spectrograph and Camera (ALFOSC), modified with our own control software to be able to observe in a high- speed multi-windowing mode. The data were reduced on-line with the real time photometry (RTP) code, which allowed us to detect periodic variable stars with small amplitudes from CCD data in real time. We studied the properties of the observed modulation fre- quencies to investigate their nature. Results. We report the first detection of low-amplitude pulsations in the PNNi VV 47, NGC 6852, and Jn 1. In addition, we investi- gated the photometric variability of NGC 246. -
Filter Performance Comparisons for Some Common Nebulae
Filter Performance Comparisons For Some Common Nebulae By Dave Knisely Light Pollution and various “nebula” filters have been around since the late 1970’s, and amateurs have been using them ever since to bring out detail (and even some objects) which were difficult to impossible to see before in modest apertures. When I started using them in the early 1980’s, specific information about which filter might work on a given object (or even whether certain filters were useful at all) was often hard to come by. Even those accounts that were available often had incomplete or inaccurate information. Getting some observational experience with the Lumicon line of filters helped, but there were still some unanswered questions. I wondered how the various filters would rank on- average against each other for a large number of objects, and whether there was a “best overall” filter. In particular, I also wondered if the much-maligned H-Beta filter was useful on more objects than the two or three targets most often mentioned in publications. In the summer of 1999, I decided to begin some more comprehensive observations to try and answer these questions and determine how to best use these filters overall. I formulated a basic survey covering a moderate number of emission and planetary nebulae to obtain some statistics on filter performance to try to address the following questions: 1. How do the various filter types compare as to what (on average) they show on a given nebula? 2. Is there one overall “best” nebula filter which will work on the largest number of objects? 3. -
Messier Objects
Messier Objects From the Stocker Astroscience Center at Florida International University Miami Florida The Messier Project Main contributors: • Daniel Puentes • Steven Revesz • Bobby Martinez Charles Messier • Gabriel Salazar • Riya Gandhi • Dr. James Webb – Director, Stocker Astroscience center • All images reduced and combined using MIRA image processing software. (Mirametrics) What are Messier Objects? • Messier objects are a list of astronomical sources compiled by Charles Messier, an 18th and early 19th century astronomer. He created a list of distracting objects to avoid while comet hunting. This list now contains over 110 objects, many of which are the most famous astronomical bodies known. The list contains planetary nebula, star clusters, and other galaxies. - Bobby Martinez The Telescope The telescope used to take these images is an Astronomical Consultants and Equipment (ACE) 24- inch (0.61-meter) Ritchey-Chretien reflecting telescope. It has a focal ratio of F6.2 and is supported on a structure independent of the building that houses it. It is equipped with a Finger Lakes 1kx1k CCD camera cooled to -30o C at the Cassegrain focus. It is equipped with dual filter wheels, the first containing UBVRI scientific filters and the second RGBL color filters. Messier 1 Found 6,500 light years away in the constellation of Taurus, the Crab Nebula (known as M1) is a supernova remnant. The original supernova that formed the crab nebula was observed by Chinese, Japanese and Arab astronomers in 1054 AD as an incredibly bright “Guest star” which was visible for over twenty-two months. The supernova that produced the Crab Nebula is thought to have been an evolved star roughly ten times more massive than the Sun. -
April 2020 Page 1 of 11
Pretoria Centre ASSA April 2020 Page 1 of 11 NEWSLETTER APRIL 2020 Dear member In the light of the current situation and based upon advice from a virologist at one of the leading pathology laboratories, we regret to have to cancel the March and April viewing evenings and meetings of the Pretoria Centre of ASSA. The situation will be reviewed in time for the May activities and members will be informed of any changes. This decision was not taken lightly, but we believe the health of our members is important and we would not like to be the reason one of our members should fall victim to the virus. We apologize for the inconvenience and trust the skies will be clear wherever you wish to spend time under the stars. Bosman Olivier Chairman TABLE OF CONTENTS Astronomy-related articles on the Internet 2 Astronomy basics: Galaxies 3 Feature of the month: Biggest explosion seen since the Big Bang 3 Astronomy-related images and video clips on the Internet 3 Astronomy basics: Galaxies 3 Observing: A different star cluster - by Magda Streicher 4 NOTICE BOARD 5 Pretoria Centre committee 5 Open Star Clusters with Superimposed Planetary Nebulae: 6 M46/NGC 2438 and NGC 2818/2818A Pretoria Centre ASSA April 2020 Page 2 of 11 Astronomy-related articles on the Internet Is bright Comet ATLAS disintegrating? https://earthsky.org/space/how-to-see-bright- comet-c-2019-y4-atlas?utm_source=EarthSky+News&utm_campaign=11f7198ca6- EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_02_02_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_c64394 5d79-11f7198ca6-394671529 Meet the giant exoplanet where it rains iron. The temperatures on the day side of giant exoplanet WASP-76b are scorching, high enough for metals to be vapourized. -
Messier Plus Marathon Text
Messier Plus Marathon Object List by Wally Brown & Bob Buckner with additional objects by Mike Roos Object Data - Saguaro Astronomy Club Score is most numbered objects in a single night. Tiebreaker is count of un-numbered objects Observer Name Date Address Marathon Obects __________ Tiebreaker Objects ________ SEQ OBJECT TYPE CON R.A. DEC. RISE TRANSIT SET MAG SIZE NOTES TIME M 53 GLOCL COM 1312.9 +1810 7:21 14:17 21:12 7.7 13.0' NGC 5024, !B,vC,iR,vvmbM,st 12.. NGC 5272, !!,eB,vL,vsmbM,st 11.., Lord Rosse-sev dark 1 M 3 GLOCL CVN 1342.2 +2822 7:11 14:46 22:20 6.3 18.0' marks within 5' of center 2 M 5 GLOCL SER 1518.5 +0205 10:17 16:22 22:27 5.7 23.0' NGC 5904, !!,vB,L,eCM,eRi, st mags 11...;superb cluster M 94 GALXY CVN 1250.9 +4107 5:12 13:55 22:37 8.1 14.4'x12.1' NGC 4736, vB,L,iR,vsvmbM,BN,r NGC 6121, Cl,8 or 10 B* in line,rrr, Look for central bar M 4 GLOCL SCO 1623.6 -2631 12:56 17:27 21:58 5.4 36.0' structure M 80 GLOCL SCO 1617.0 -2258 12:36 17:21 22:06 7.3 10.0' NGC 6093, st 14..., Extremely rich and compressed M 62 GLOCL OPH 1701.2 -3006 13:49 18:05 22:21 6.4 15.0' NGC 6266, vB,L,gmbM,rrr, Asymmetrical M 19 GLOCL OPH 1702.6 -2615 13:34 18:06 22:38 6.8 17.0' NGC 6273, vB,L,R,vCM,rrr, One of the most oblate GC 3 M 107 GLOCL OPH 1632.5 -1303 12:17 17:36 22:55 7.8 13.0' NGC 6171, L,vRi,vmC,R,rrr, H VI 40 M 106 GALXY CVN 1218.9 +4718 3:46 13:23 22:59 8.3 18.6'x7.2' NGC 4258, !,vB,vL,vmE0,sbMBN, H V 43 M 63 GALXY CVN 1315.8 +4201 5:31 14:19 23:08 8.5 12.6'x7.2' NGC 5055, BN, vsvB stell. -
Ghost Hunt Challenge 2020
Virtual Ghost Hunt Challenge 10/21 /2020 (Sorry we can meet in person this year or give out awards but try doing this challenge on your own.) Participant’s Name _________________________ Categories for the competition: Manual Telescope Electronically Aided Telescope Binocular Astrophotography (best photo) (if you expect to compete in more than one category please fill-out a sheet for each) ** There are four objects on this list that may be beyond the reach of beginning astronomers or basic telescopes. Therefore, we have marked these objects with an * and provided alternate replacements for you just below the designated entry. We will use the primary objects to break a tie if that’s needed. Page 1 TAS Ghost Hunt Challenge - Page 2 Time # Designation Type Con. RA Dec. Mag. Size Common Name Observed Facing West – 7:30 8:30 p.m. 1 M17 EN Sgr 18h21’ -16˚11’ 6.0 40’x30’ Omega Nebula 2 M16 EN Ser 18h19’ -13˚47 6.0 17’ by 14’ Ghost Puppet Nebula 3 M10 GC Oph 16h58’ -04˚08’ 6.6 20’ 4 M12 GC Oph 16h48’ -01˚59’ 6.7 16’ 5 M51 Gal CVn 13h30’ 47h05’’ 8.0 13.8’x11.8’ Whirlpool Facing West - 8:30 – 9:00 p.m. 6 M101 GAL UMa 14h03’ 54˚15’ 7.9 24x22.9’ 7 NGC 6572 PN Oph 18h12’ 06˚51’ 7.3 16”x13” Emerald Eye 8 NGC 6426 GC Oph 17h46’ 03˚10’ 11.0 4.2’ 9 NGC 6633 OC Oph 18h28’ 06˚31’ 4.6 20’ Tweedledum 10 IC 4756 OC Ser 18h40’ 05˚28” 4.6 39’ Tweedledee 11 M26 OC Sct 18h46’ -09˚22’ 8.0 7.0’ 12 NGC 6712 GC Sct 18h54’ -08˚41’ 8.1 9.8’ 13 M13 GC Her 16h42’ 36˚25’ 5.8 20’ Great Hercules Cluster 14 NGC 6709 OC Aql 18h52’ 10˚21’ 6.7 14’ Flying Unicorn 15 M71 GC Sge 19h55’ 18˚50’ 8.2 7’ 16 M27 PN Vul 20h00’ 22˚43’ 7.3 8’x6’ Dumbbell Nebula 17 M56 GC Lyr 19h17’ 30˚13 8.3 9’ 18 M57 PN Lyr 18h54’ 33˚03’ 8.8 1.4’x1.1’ Ring Nebula 19 M92 GC Her 17h18’ 43˚07’ 6.44 14’ 20 M72 GC Aqr 20h54’ -12˚32’ 9.2 6’ Facing West - 9 – 10 p.m. -
The MUSE View of the Planetary Nebula NGC 3132? Ana Monreal-Ibero1,2 and Jeremy R
A&A 634, A47 (2020) Astronomy https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/201936845 & © ESO 2020 Astrophysics The MUSE view of the planetary nebula NGC 3132? Ana Monreal-Ibero1,2 and Jeremy R. Walsh3,?? 1 Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC), 38205 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain e-mail: [email protected] 2 Universidad de La Laguna, Dpto. Astrofísica, 38206 La Laguna, Tenerife, Spain 3 European Southern Observatory, Karl-Schwarzschild Strasse 2, 85748 Garching, Germany Received 4 October 2019 / Accepted 6 December 2019 ABSTRACT Aims. Two-dimensional spectroscopic data for the whole extent of the NGC 3132 planetary nebula have been obtained. We deliver a reduced data-cube and high-quality maps on a spaxel-by-spaxel basis for the many emission lines falling within the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) spectral coverage over a range in surface brightness >1000. Physical diagnostics derived from the emission line images, opening up a variety of scientific applications, are discussed. Methods. Data were obtained during MUSE commissioning on the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Very Large Telescope and reduced with the standard ESO pipeline. Emission lines were fitted by Gaussian profiles. The dust extinction, electron densities, and temperatures of the ionised gas and abundances were determined using Python and PyNeb routines. 2 Results. The delivered datacube has a spatial size of 6300 12300, corresponding to 0:26 0:51 pc for the adopted distance, and ∼ × ∼ 1 × a contiguous wavelength coverage of 4750–9300 Å at a spectral sampling of 1.25 Å pix− . The nebula presents a complex reddening structure with high values (c(Hβ) 0:4) at the rim. -
Astronomy Magazine Special Issue
γ ι ζ γ δ α κ β κ ε γ β ρ ε ζ υ α φ ψ ω χ α π χ φ γ ω ο ι δ κ α ξ υ λ τ μ β α σ θ ε β σ δ γ ψ λ ω σ η ν θ Aι must-have for all stargazers η δ μ NEW EDITION! ζ λ β ε η κ NGC 6664 NGC 6539 ε τ μ NGC 6712 α υ δ ζ M26 ν NGC 6649 ψ Struve 2325 ζ ξ ATLAS χ α NGC 6604 ξ ο ν ν SCUTUM M16 of the γ SERP β NGC 6605 γ V450 ξ η υ η NGC 6645 M17 φ θ M18 ζ ρ ρ1 π Barnard 92 ο χ σ M25 M24 STARS M23 ν β κ All-in-one introduction ALL NEW MAPS WITH: to the night sky 42,000 more stars (87,000 plotted down to magnitude 8.5) AND 150+ more deep-sky objects (more than 1,200 total) The Eagle Nebula (M16) combines a dark nebula and a star cluster. In 100+ this intense region of star formation, “pillars” form at the boundaries spectacular between hot and cold gas. You’ll find this object on Map 14, a celestial portion of which lies above. photos PLUS: How to observe star clusters, nebulae, and galaxies AS2-CV0610.indd 1 6/10/10 4:17 PM NEW EDITION! AtlAs Tour the night sky of the The staff of Astronomy magazine decided to This atlas presents produce its first star atlas in 2006. -
February 14, 2015 7:00Pm at the Herrett Center for Arts & Science Colleagues, College of Southern Idaho
Snake River Skies The Newsletter of the Magic Valley Astronomical Society www.mvastro.org Membership Meeting President’s Message Saturday, February 14, 2015 7:00pm at the Herrett Center for Arts & Science Colleagues, College of Southern Idaho. Public Star Party Follows at the It’s that time of year when obstacles appear in the sky. In particular, this year is Centennial Obs. loaded with fog. It got in the way of letting us see the dance of the Jovian moons late last month, and it’s hindered our views of other unique shows. Still, members Club Officers reported finding enough of a clear sky to let us see Comet Lovejoy, and some great photos by members are popping up on the Facebook page. Robert Mayer, President This month, however, is a great opportunity to see the benefit of something [email protected] getting in the way. Our own Chris Anderson of the Herrett Center has been using 208-312-1203 the Centennial Observatory’s scope to do work on occultation’s, particularly with asteroids. This month’s MVAS meeting on Feb. 14th will give him the stage to Terry Wofford, Vice President show us just how this all works. [email protected] The following weekend may also be the time the weather allows us to resume 208-308-1821 MVAS-only star parties. Feb. 21 is a great window for a possible star party; we’ll announce the location if the weather permits. However, if we don’t get that Gary Leavitt, Secretary window, we’ll fall back on what has become a MVAS tradition: Planetarium night [email protected] at the Herrett Center. -
Preliminary Catalogue of Isaac Roberts's Collection of Photographs of Celestial Objects
ASTRONOMISCHE NACHRICHTEN. Nr. 4154. Band 174. 2. Preliminary catalogue of Isaac Roberts’s collection of photographs of celestial objects. By Dorotha Isaac-Roberts. The Isaac Roberts collection of celestial photographs The number of the copies of the forthcoming paper comprises 2485 original negatives of stars, star-clusters, being very limited, the observatories and astronomers, official nebulae and other celestial objects together with many posi. or amateur, who are specially interested in photographic tives on glass and on paper, taken by the late Dr. Isaac astronomy will please send in their names to the address Roberts or, under his incessant supervision, by his assistant given below, early in 1907, in order that the various parts W. S. Franks, F. R. A. S., at Dr. Roberts’s Private Obser- of the complete catalogue may be sent to them in course vatory, Kennessee, Maghull, near Liverpool (1885-1 890) and, of time. from 1890 to 1904, at Starfield, Crowborough, Sussex. Positives- on-glass reproduced from the Isaac Roberts Of the above mentioned negatives, negatives will be lent for the purpose of micrometric mea- I) 1412 were taken with the zo-in Reflector (focal surements, if, application be made and provided that the length = 98.0 ins) and with an exposure of the plate of documents be returned after completion of the measurements. ninety minutes in general. In the preliminary catalogue given below, the numbers 2) 648 with the 5-in Cooke lens (f. 1. = 19.22 ins) of Dr. Dreyer’s New General Catalogue of Nebulae and which was mounted on the tube of the zo-in Reflector; or, Clusters of Stars and of Dr. -
A Basic Requirement for Studying the Heavens Is Determining Where In
Abasic requirement for studying the heavens is determining where in the sky things are. To specify sky positions, astronomers have developed several coordinate systems. Each uses a coordinate grid projected on to the celestial sphere, in analogy to the geographic coordinate system used on the surface of the Earth. The coordinate systems differ only in their choice of the fundamental plane, which divides the sky into two equal hemispheres along a great circle (the fundamental plane of the geographic system is the Earth's equator) . Each coordinate system is named for its choice of fundamental plane. The equatorial coordinate system is probably the most widely used celestial coordinate system. It is also the one most closely related to the geographic coordinate system, because they use the same fun damental plane and the same poles. The projection of the Earth's equator onto the celestial sphere is called the celestial equator. Similarly, projecting the geographic poles on to the celest ial sphere defines the north and south celestial poles. However, there is an important difference between the equatorial and geographic coordinate systems: the geographic system is fixed to the Earth; it rotates as the Earth does . The equatorial system is fixed to the stars, so it appears to rotate across the sky with the stars, but of course it's really the Earth rotating under the fixed sky. The latitudinal (latitude-like) angle of the equatorial system is called declination (Dec for short) . It measures the angle of an object above or below the celestial equator. The longitud inal angle is called the right ascension (RA for short). -
Spitzer Observations of Planetary Nebulae
Planetary Nebulae: An Eye to the Future Proceedings IAU Symposium No. 283, 2011 c 2011 International Astronomical Union A. Manchado, L. Stanghellini, & D. Sch¨onberner, eds. DOI: 00.0000/X000000000000000X Spitzer Observations of Planetary Nebulae You-Hua Chu Department of Astronomy, University of Illinois, 1002 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois, 61801, USA email: [email protected] Abstract. The Spitzer Space Telescope has three science instruments (IRAC, MIPS, and IRS) that can take images at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, 8.0, 24, 70, and 160 µm, spectra over 5–38 µm, and spectral energy distribution over 52–100 µm. The Spitzer archive contains targeted imaging observations for more than 100 PNe. Spitzer legacy surveys, particularly the GLIMPSE survey of the Galactic plane, contain additional serendipitous imaging observations of PNe. Spitzer imaging and spectroscopic observations of PNe allow us to investigate atomic/molecular line emission and dust continuum from the nebulae as well as circumstellar dust disks around the central stars. Highlights of Spitzer observations of PNe are reviewed in this paper. 1. Spitzer Space Telescope The Spitzer Space Telescope (Werner et al. 2004), one of the four NASA’s Great Observatories, is a 0.85 meter diameter, f/12 infrared (IR) telescope launched on August 25, 2003. It has an Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit so that the telescope is kept away from the Earth’s heat and can be cooled more efficiently. Spitzer has three science instruments: (1) The Infrared Array Camera (IRAC; Fazio et al. 2004) has four detectors that take images at 3.6, 4.5, 5.8, and 8.0 µm, respectively.