What is meant by planetary nebula?
The observations of NGC 2392 were part of a study of three planetary nebulae with hot gas at their centre. The observations of NGC 2392 were part of a study of three planetary nebulae with hot gas at their centre. With an apparent magnitude of 10.1, the nebula is invisible to the naked eye but can be seen with a small telescope. NGC 2392 has a much higher X-ray emission compared to the other two nebulae, suggesting that the hot central star has an invisible companion.
The Eskimo Nebula, also known as the Clown Nebula, Lion Nebula or Caldwell 39, is a bipolar double-shell planetary nebula. The distance to NGC 2392 is not precisely known, but is estimated to be about 2,900 light-years, which corresponds to a spatial diameter of 0.68 light-years.
What is at the centre of NGC 2392?
Scientists believe that the star had a ring of dense material around the equator that was ejected during the star’s red giant phase. Although this bright central region resembles a tangle, it is actually a bubble of material blown into space at high speed by the intense wind of the central star. This designation is misleading, however, because planetary nebulae actually have nothing to do with planets. The abundances determined from the mid-infrared lines, which are insensitive to electron temperature, serve as the basis for determining the composition, which is somewhat different from previous results.
This composite image of NGC 2392 contains X-ray data from NASA’s Chandra X-ray Observatory in purple, showing the location of the million-degree-hot gas near the centre of the planetary nebula.
What is inside the Eskimo Nebula?
The Eskimo Nebula, located about 4000 light years from Earth in the constellation Gemini, was discovered by William Herschel in 1787.The Eskimo Nebula, located about 4000 light years from Earth in the constellation Gemini, was discovered by William Herschel in 1787.Surrounding it is the Eskimo Parka, the darker halo of gases with finger-shaped filaments that are blown away by a stream of charged particles emanating from the white dwarf. The Eskimo Nebula, located about 4000 light years from Earth in the constellation Gemini and discovered by William Herschel in 1787, is the Eskimo Parka, the darker halo of gases with finger-shaped filaments blown away from the white dwarf by a stream of charged particles emanating from the star. The Eskimo’s face is actually a bubble of material blown into space by the strong stellar winds. Many celestial objects are fascinating not only because they can help explain how the cosmos works, but also because they are visually stunning.
Above left is an image of ngc 2392 (“Eskimo Nebula”), taken with the Hubble Space Telescope WFPC2 after its repair in December 1999.
Where can I find the Eskimo Nebula?
Finding the Eskimo Ne bula is relatively easy, as it is located east of the constellation centre and near Wasat (δ Gem – mag. The nebula has the designation ngc 2392 in the New General CatalogueNew General CatalogueThe New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars (abbreviated NGC) is an astronomical catalogue of deep-sky objects compiled by John Louis Emil Dreyer in 1888.Finding the Eskimo Nebula is relatively easy, as it is located east of the constellation centre and near Wasat (δ Gem – mag. The nebula is designated ngc 2392 in the New General CatalogueNew General CatalogueThe New General Catalogue of Nebulae and Clusters of Stars (abbreviated NGC) is an astronomical catalogue of deep-sky objects compiled in 1888 by John Louis Emil Dreyer.Along With the Eskimo Nebula, he had already sighted several round objects that resemble a sphere. They are located east of the open star cluster Hyades in Taurus and northeast of the bright constellation Orion.