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Kronberger 61

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Kronberger 61
Emission nebula
Planetary nebula
Image of the Kronberger 61 nebula taken by the Gemini Observatory
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Right ascension19h 21m 38.936s[1]
Declination+38° 18′ 57.2420″[1]
Apparent dimensions (V)1' 30"
ConstellationCygnus
DesignationsKronberger 61, Soccer Ball Nebula[1]
See also: Lists of nebulae

Kronberger 61, also known as the "soccer ball", is a planetary nebula discovered by an amateur astronomer in January, 2011, with the newer images having been taken by the Gemini Observatory.[2] The nebula is named for Austrian Mattias Kronberger,[3] who is a member of the amateur group Deep Sky Hunters. The object is estimated to lie 13,000 light-years away. They discovered the nebula while searching near the northern constellation of Cygnus.[4] It is hoped that the discovery will help resolve a decades-old debate, regarding the role of stellar companions in the formation and structure of planetary nebulae.[5]

The nebula is within a relatively small area, which is currently being monitored by NASA's Kepler planet finding mission and the light of the nebula is primarily due to the emissions from doubly ionized oxygen.[5]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "NAME Soccer Ball Nebula". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. Retrieved 30 August 2015.
  2. ^ Mosher, Dave. "'Soccer Ball' Nebula Discovered by Amateur Astronomer". National Geographic. Archived from the original on October 20, 2012.
  3. ^ "Österreichischer Hobby-Astronom entdeckt prachtvollen Planetarischen Nebel". DER STANDARD (in Austrian German). Retrieved 2023-06-14.
  4. ^ Moore, Kurt (July 28, 2011). "New Planetary Nebula Found By Amateur Astronomer". KRIV (TV). Archived from the original on April 5, 2012.
  5. ^ a b Jacoby, George (8 August 2011). "Gemini Observatory Image Release". Gemini Observatory.