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.

Credit:

ESO

Over de afbeelding

Id:eso9827a
Type:Observatie
Publicatiedatum:23 juni 1998
Gerelateerde berichten:eso9827
Grootte:2340 x 2557 px

Over het object

Naam:IC 4406
Type:Milky Way : Nebula : Type : Planetary
Afstand:5000 lichtjaren
Constellation:Lupus
Categorie:Nebulae

Image Formats

Grote JPEG
446,2 KB

Wallpapers

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

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

Kleuren & filters

BandTelescoop
Optisch
B
Very Large Telescope
Optisch
V
Very Large Telescope
Optisch
R
Very Large Telescope