Stingray Nebula

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Stingray Nebula

Hubble Space Telescope photograph of the nebula
Observation data
(Epoch J2000)
Right ascension 17h 16m 21.071s[1]
Declination -59° 29′ 23.64″[1]
Distance 18 kly (5.6 kpc)[2]
Apparent magnitude (V) 10.75[1]
Apparent dimensions (V) 1″.6[2]
Constellation Ara
Physical characteristics
Radius 0.08 ly[2]
Absolute magnitude (V) -3.0[a]
Other designations PN G331.3-12.1,[1]
Hen 3-1357[1]
See also: Planetary nebula, Lists of nebulae

The Stingray Nebula (Hen-1357) is the youngest known planetary nebula (PN). (Gry 2002) The Stingray is located in the direction of the southern constellation Ara (the Altar).

Contents

[edit] History

Karl Gordon Henize classified Stingray Nebula as an A or B type Hα emission line star in 1950. It was observed in 1971 to be a post asymptotic giant branch (AGB) B1 supergiant. It was discovered to have become a PN in 1989 by the IUE (Parthasarathy et al 1993).[2] (Gry 2002) Parthasarathy et al. concluded that the light from the event arrived at Earth after 1975, probably in 1987 (the light would have travelled for about 18,000 years). (Parthasarathy 2000)

[edit] Central star

In 1995 its central star (CS) was observed to be rapidly transforming into a DA white dwarf, having faded by a factor of 3 between 1987 and 1995. The central star has a companion star with a 0″.3 angular separation. The CS is estimated to have a mass of 0.6 M☉ while the nebula itself is estimated to have a mass of 0.015 M☉. Its luminosity is estimated to be 3000 L☉. (Parthasarathy 2000)

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ 10.75 apparent magnitude - 5 * (log10(5.6 kpc distance) - 1) = -3.0 absolute magnitude
  1. ^ a b c d e SIMBAD 2007
  2. ^ a b c d Parthasarathy 2000

[edit] References