行星状星云Jones-Emberson 1

2023年2月24日

Jones-Emberson 1
Image Credit & Copyright: Serge Brunier, Jean-François Bax, David Vernet, C2PU/OCA

Explanation: Planetary nebula Jones-Emberson 1 is the death shroud of a dying Sun-like star. It lies some 1,600 light-years from Earth toward the sharp-eyed constellation Lynx. About 4 light-years across, the expanding remnant of the dying star’s atmosphere was shrugged off into interstellar space, as the star’s central supply of hydrogen and then helium for fusion was finally depleted after billions of years. Visible near the center of the planetary nebula is what remains of the stellar core, a blue-hot white dwarf star. Also known as PK 164 +31.1, the nebula is faint and very difficult to glimpse at a telescope’s eyepiece. But this deep broadband image combining 22 hours of exposure time does show it off in exceptional detail. Stars within our own Milky Way galaxy as well as background galaxies across the universe are scattered through the clear field of view. Ephemeral on the cosmic stage, Jones-Emberson 1 will fade away over the next few thousand years. Its hot, central white dwarf star will take billions of years to cool.

Tomorrow’s picture: moonset

行星状星云Jones-Emberson 1
图像提供与版权: Serge Brunier, Jean-François Bax, David Vernet, C2PU/OCA

说明: 位在目光锐利的天猫座方向的行星状星云Jones-Emberson 1（琼斯-艾伯森1），是一颗垂死的类太阳恒星之死亡尸衣。这团垂死恒星宽约4光年的扩张残骸，是恒星经过数十亿年终于耗尽核心的氢及氦燃料之后，抛掷到星际空间的恒星大气。在这团行星状星云的中心附近，可见到孑遗的恒星核所形成的泛蓝炽热白矮星。这团亦名为PK 164 +31.1的星云极为昏暗，很难直接透过望远镜的目镜观赏。不过这幅结合22小时长曝光数据的深空宽波段图像，无比清晰的呈现了它的细微结构。此外，在这片清晰的视野里，还可见到散布在各处的银河系恒星及宇宙深处的背景星系。在宇宙舞台上Jones-Emberson 1转瞬即逝，在接下来的数千年内即将消散匿迹。不过它中央炽热的白矮星，则要历时数十亿年才会冷却。

明日的图片: moonset