Astronomy:SuWt 2

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Short description: Planetary nebula
SuWt 2
Emission nebula
Planetary nebula
SuWt 2.jpg
Image of SuWt 2 taken from the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory.
Observation data: J2000 epoch
Right ascension 13h 55m 43.23s
Declination−59° 22′ 40.03″[1]
Distance6,500 ly
Apparent magnitude (V)11.52[1]
ConstellationCentaurus
DesignationsPN G311.0+02.4, DENIS J135543.2-592239, GSC 08676-01161, 2MASS J13554323-5922398, PK 311+02 2[1]
See also: Lists of nebulae

Coordinates: Sky map 13h 55m 43.23s, −59° 22′ 40.03″

SuWt 2 is a planetary nebula viewed almost edge-on[2] in the constellation of Centaurus. It is believed that high UV radiation from an undiscovered white dwarf ionizes this nebula. Currently, there is a binary system consisting of two A-type main-sequence stars whose radiation is not sufficient to photo-ionize the surrounding nebula.[3] The nebula is easily obscured by the brighter star, HD 121228.

It has been suggested that it has a triple stellar system. One of them, which is more massive than other two A-type main-sequence stars, evolved rapidly and became a red giant, swallowing the other two stars, and produced the planetary nebula.[2]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 "PN SuWt 2". SIMBAD. Centre de données astronomiques de Strasbourg. http://simbad.u-strasbg.fr/simbad/sim-basic?Ident=PN+SuWt+2. 
  2. 2.0 2.1 "White Dwarf Lost in Planetary Nebula". http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2008/21/full/. Retrieved December 12, 2016. 
  3. Danehkar, A.; Parker, Q. A.; Ercolano, B. (2013). "Observations and three-dimensional ionization structure of the planetary nebula SuWt 2". Mon. Not. R. Astron. Soc. 434 (2): 1513–1530. doi:10.1093/mnras/stt1116. Bibcode2013MNRAS.434.1513D.