Dumbbell Nebula
| Nebula | |
|---|---|
| File:M27-RL Gamma05 LRGB cropped.jpg Dumbbell Nebula | |
| Observation data: J2000 epoch | |
| Right ascension | 19h 59m 36.340s[1] |
| Declination | +22° 43′ 16.09″[1] |
| Distance | 1,360+160 −212 ly (417+49 −65 pc)[2][3] ly |
| Apparent magnitude (V) | 7.5[1] |
| Apparent dimensions (V) | 8′.0[citation needed] × 5′.6[4] |
| Constellation | Vulpecula |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Radius | 1.44+0.21 −0.16 ly[a] ly |
| Absolute magnitude (V) | -0.6+0.4 −0.3[d] |
| Notable features | Central star radius is largest known for a white dwarf. |
| Designations | NGC 6853,[1] M 27,[1] Diabolo Nebula,[1] |
The Dumbbell Nebula (also known as Messier 27, M 27, or NGC 6853) is a planetary nebula (PN) in the constellation Vulpecula, at a distance of about 1360 light years.
This object was the first planetary nebula to be discovered; by Charles Messier in 1764. At its brightness of visual magnitude 7.5 and its diameter of about 8 arcminutes, it is easily visible in binoculars, and a great observing target in amateur telescopes.
Structure
This PN appears to be shaped like an prolate spheroid and is viewed from our perspective along the plane of its equator. In 1992, Moreno-Corral et al. computed that the rate of expansion in the plane of the sky of this PN was no more than 2″.3 per century. From this, an upper limit to the age of 14,600 yr may be determined. In 1970, Bohuski, Smith, & Weedman found an expansion velocity of 31 km/s. Given the semi-minor axis radius of 1.01+0.15
−0.11 ly,[b] this implies that the kinematic age of the PN is 9,800+1,500
−1,100 [c] years old.[4][5]
Knots
Credit: C.R. O'Dell (Vanderbilt University)
Like many nearby planetary nebulae, the Dumbbell contains knots. Its central region is marked by a pattern of dark and bright cusped knots and their associated dark tails (see picture). The knots vary in appearance from symmetric objects with tails to rather irregular tail-less objects. Similarly to the Helix Nebula and the Eskimo Nebula, the heads of the knots have bright cusps which are local photoionization fronts.[5]
Central star
The central star, a white dwarf, is estimated to have a radius which is 0.055 ± 0.02 R☉ which gives it a size larger than any other known white dwarf.[2] The central star mass was estimated in 1999 by Napiwotzki to be 0.56 ± 0.01 M☉.[2]
See also
Notes
- ^ Radius = distance × sin(angular size / 2) = 1,240+180
−140[3] * sin(8′.0 / 2) = 1.44+0.21
−0.16 ly - ^ Semi minor axis = distance × sin(minor axis size / 2) = 1,240+180
−140[3] * sin(5′.6 / 2) = 1.01+0.15
−0.11 ly - ^ Kinematic age = semi-minor axis / expansion rate = 1.01+0.15
−0.11[b] ly / 31 km/s = 9.56+1.42
−1.04×1012 km / 31[4] km/s = 3.08+0.46
−0.34×1011 s = 9,800+1,500
−1,100 yr - ^ 7.5 apparent magnitude - 5 * (log10(420+50
−70 pc distance) - 1) = -0.6+0.4
−0.3 absolute magnitude
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "SIMBAD Astronomical Database". Results for M 27. Retrieved 2007-01-03.
- ^ a b c Benedict, G. Fritz; McArthur, B. E.; Fredrick, L. W.; Harrison, T. E.; Skrutskie, M. F.; Slesnick, C. L.; Rhee, J.; Patterson, R. J.; Nelan, E.; Jefferys, W. H.; van Altena, W.; Montemayor, T.; Shelus, P. J.; Franz, O. G.; Wasserman, L. H.; Hemenway, P. D.; Duncombe, R. L.; Story, D.; Whipple, A. L.; Bradley, A. J. (2003). "Astrometry with The Hubble Space Telescope: A Parallax of the Central Star of the Planetary Nebula NGC 6853". The Astronomical Journal. 126 (5): 2549–2556. doi:10.1086/378603.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c "Trigonometric Parallaxes of Central Stars of Planetary Nebulae", The Astronomical Journal, 133 (2): 631–638, February 2007, doi:10.1086/510348
{{citation}}: Cite uses deprecated parameter|authors=(help)CS1 maint: date and year (link) - ^ a b c O'Dell, C. R.; Balick, B.; Hajian, A. R.; Henney, W. J.; Burkert, A. (2002). "Knots in Nearby Planetary Nebulae". The Astronomical Journal. 123 (6): 3329–3347. doi:10.1086/340726.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b O'dell, C. R.; Balick, B.; Hajian, A. R.; Henney, W. J.; Burkert, A. (2003). "Knots in Planetary Nebulae". Winds, Bubbles, and Explosions: a conference to honor John Dyson, Pátzcuaro, Michoacán, México, September 9-13, 2002 (Eds. S. J. Arthur & W. J. Henney) Revista Mexicana de Astronomía y Astrofísica (Serie de Conferencias) (http://www.astroscu.unam.mx/~rmaa/). 15: 29–33.
{{cite journal}}: External link in|journal=
External links
- SEDS Messier page on M27
- M27 Dumbbell Nebula
- M27 image taken by Stargazer Observatory
- The Dumbbell Nebula on WikiSky: DSS2, SDSS, GALEX, IRAS, Hydrogen α, X-Ray, Astrophoto, Sky Map, Articles and images
- M27