The VLT images a "rectangular" planetary nebula

IC 4406 is a planetary nebula with an unusual, almost "rectangular" shape. It is located in the southern constellation Lupus (the Wolf). The distance is somewhat uncertain, possibly around 5,000 light-years. Like the Butterfly Nebula (cf. VLT UT1 First Light Photo No. 4), IC 4406 belongs to the class of bipolar nebulae. However, the dark and dusty central band (the "disc-like structure") is less pronounced in this object and the internal structure is more uniform. The different colours correspond to regions of different composition and physical properties.

This is a combination of two 5-min B (blue) exposures (seeing 0.95 arcsec), two 5-min V (green-yellow) exposures (0.90 arcsec), and one 5-min and two 2-min R (red) exposures (0.70 to 0.90 arcsec) with the VLT Test Camera. Individual frames were flat-fielded and cleaned for cosmics before colour combination; there was no further image processing. The field measures 1.5 x 1.5 arcmin. North is to the upper right; East is to the upper left.

Crédit:

ESO

À propos de l'image

Identification:eso9827a
Type:Observation
Date de publication:23 juin 1998
Communiqués de presse en rapport:eso9827
Taille:2340 x 2557 px

À propos de l'objet

Nom:IC 4406
Type:Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Planetary
Distance:5000 années lumière
Constellation:Lupus
Catégorie:Nebulae

Formats des images

Grand JPEG
446,2 Kio

Fonds d'écran

1024x768
75,3 Kio
1280x1024
119,5 Kio
1600x1200
172,8 Kio
1920x1200
206,7 Kio
2048x1536
271,7 Kio

Coordinates

Position (RA):14 22 26.29
Position (Dec):-44° 9' 5.34"
Field of view:1.43 x 1.51 arcminutes
Orientation:North is 44.8° right of vertical

Couleurs & filtres

DomaineTélescope
Visible
B
Very Large Telescope
Visible
V
Very Large Telescope
Visible
R
Very Large Telescope