Polarization of the central star of a recently discovered reflection nebula in Centaurus.
Abstract
The wavelength dependence of the polarization associated with the central star in a faint reflection nebula in Centaurus, an anonymous GO III star with Av approximately 4.3 mag, is studied. It is shown that the measured polarization can be fitted by the empirical Serkowski relation for interstellar polarization with a maximum polarization of approximately 5.6% and a maximum wavelength of approximately 0.425 micron. However, it is found that the position angle of the polarization does not agree with the local direction of the Galactic magnetic field. It is suggested that a circumstellar origin for the polarization is likely since the nebula appears to be centrally condensed around the star.
- Publication:
-
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- April 1983
- DOI:
- 10.1093/mnras/203.1.195
- Bibcode:
- 1983MNRAS.203..195C
- Keywords:
-
- Polarized Electromagnetic Radiation;
- Reflection Nebulae;
- Star Distribution;
- Stellar Radiation;
- Centaurus Constellation;
- Circular Polarization;
- Interstellar Radiation;
- Linear Polarization;
- Stellar Envelopes;
- Astrophysics