by APOD Robot » Wed Dec 19, 2012 5:06 am
NGC 5189: An Unusually Complex Planetary Nebula
Explanation: Why is this nebula so complex? When a star like our Sun is dying, it will cast off its outer layers, usually into a simple overall shape. Sometimes this shape is a
sphere, sometimes a
double lobe, and sometimes a
ring or a
helix. In the case of planetary nebula
NGC 5189, however, no such simple structure has emerged. To help find out why, the Earth-orbiting
Hubble Space Telescope recently observed
NGC 5189 in great detail.
Previous findings indicated the existence of multiple epochs of material outflow, including a recent one that created a bright but distorted
torus running horizontally
across image center. Results appear consistent with a hypothesis that the
dying star is part of a
binary star system with a
precessing symmetry axis. Given this
new data, though, research is sure to continue.
NGC 5189 spans about three light years and lies about 3,000 light years away
toward the southern constellation of the Fly (
Musca).
[/b]
[url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121219.html][img]http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/S_121219.jpg[/img] [size=150]NGC 5189: An Unusually Complex Planetary Nebula[/size][/url]
[b] Explanation: [/b] Why is this nebula so complex? When a star like our Sun is dying, it will cast off its outer layers, usually into a simple overall shape. Sometimes this shape is a [url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap121008.html]sphere[/url], sometimes a [url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap050612.html]double lobe[/url], and sometimes a [url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap091115.html]ring[/url] or a [url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap030510.html]helix[/url]. In the case of planetary nebula [url=http://heritage.stsci.edu/2012/49/caption.html]NGC 5189[/url], however, no such simple structure has emerged. To help find out why, the Earth-orbiting [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubble_Space_Telescope]Hubble Space Telescope[/url] recently observed [url=http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap951211.html]NGC 5189[/url] in great detail. [url=http://arxiv.org/abs/1203.1297]Previous findings[/url] indicated the existence of multiple epochs of material outflow, including a recent one that created a bright but distorted [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torus]torus[/url] running horizontally [url=http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2012/49/image/a/]across image center[/url]. Results appear consistent with a hypothesis that the [url=http://asterisk.apod.com/viewtopic.php?f=24&t=18008]dying star[/url] is part of a [url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ecz9GEOE9Wg]binary star[/url] system with a [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precession]precessing[/url] symmetry axis. Given this [url=http://www.stsci.edu/hst/phase2-public/12812.pdf]new data[/url], though, research is sure to continue. [url=http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2012/49/fastfacts/]NGC 5189[/url] spans about three light years and lies about 3,000 light years away [url=http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2012/49/video/a/]toward[/url] the southern constellation of the Fly ([url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Musca]Musca[/url]).
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