Total eclipse of NN Ser

This is a 18.5-min "drift" exposure with VLT ANTU and FORS1 of the sky field around the variable stellar system NN Ser (indicated with an arrow). The telescope moved 1 pixel (0.20 arcsec) every 3 seconds so that the images of the stars in the field are trailed from left to right. After some minutes, the very deep eclipse of NN Ser begins when the brightness drops dramatically during the first partial phase. The star is clearly visible at a constant level all through the total phase at minimum light. It then brightens during the second partial phase and is back to the former level after approximately 10.5 min. The FORS1 instrument was rotated by about 70° to ensure that the trail of NN Ser would not overlap those of the neighbouring stellar images during this special exposure. The field shown measures 2.7 x 2.7 armin 2 and may be compared with that shown in ESO Press Photo eso9936; it has the same orientation.

Crédit:

ESO

À propos de l'image

Identification:eso9936b
Type:Observation
Date de publication:20 juillet 1999
Communiqués de presse en rapport:eso9936
Taille:2297 x 2273 px

À propos de l'objet

Nom:NN Serpentis
Type:Milky Way : Star : Evolutionary Stage : White Dwarf
Milky Way : Star : Grouping : Binary
Milky Way : Sky Phenomenon : Night Sky : Trail : Star
Distance:1700 années lumière
Catégorie:Stars

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Couleurs & filtres

DomaineLongueur d'ondeTélescope

V
550 nmVery Large Telescope
FORS1

Exposure time: 1110s