Stingray Nebula

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

History

Karl Gordon Henize classified Stingray Nebula as an A or B type Hα emission line star in 1967. It was observed in 1971 to be a pre-planetary nebulae (PPNe) when it seemed to be a asymptotic giant branch (AGB) B1 supergiant. It was discovered as a planetary nebula (PN) in 1989 by the IUE (Parthasarathy et al 1993). (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)

Planetary nebula nucleus (PNN)

In 1995 the central planetary nebula nucleus (PNN) was observed as a DA white dwarf, having seemingly faded by a factor of three between 1987 and 1995. The PNN has an estimated mass of 0.6 MΘ, and has an observed companion star separated by 0.3 arcsec. Nebula mass is estimated as 0.015 MΘ.

Luminosity is estimated to be 3000 L. (Parthasarathy 2000)

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

References